January 17, 2018

West                3

Tokay              1

Final

After being dealt a tough loss to Lodi in the first game of league, our girls varsity soccer team stormed back in a 3-1 victory over rival Tokay. Being a local game on a familiar field, they put on a show for their home crowd. Like every other game at West High, the whole stadium was hyped and fully engaged. From the eager parents and the loyal fans to the people in the press box, it felt like everyone was having a good time. Well…everyone except Tokay.

But don’t overlook the score. As any athlete knows, nothing worth having comes easy. The girls found ways to overcome more than one type of adversity. For example, with dark skies and a blanket of mist hanging over the field, the varsity team played in a cold and windy environment. When Tokay got on the bus to face off against us, they were riding a five-game win streak. But thanks to two goals by Jasmine Cochiaosue and a penalty kick from Keira Hupman, we took the lead and derailed a consistent Tokay team.

Following the conclusion of the game, West High coach Scott Behnam was questioned on what he thought of the outcome. “I thought our girls played excellent. I thought it started with our captains. They do a great job leading us. From there I thought the girls bought in. They really brought the game plan here and really played within the system.”

Captain Keira Hupman, a senior at West, was also asked why she thought they won. “I think that we came back with a different attitude. We wanted it. We took a bad loss last week and we came back hungry and we came out with the result.” Finally, she was asked what her thoughts were about her coach. “He’s quite the character, not the simple soccer coach. He’s something.”

As our girls soccer team continues through the season, we can only wait and see what fortune there is in store for this team, and its never-ending fan base. With experienced seniors, talented newcomers and an excellent coach, our future is bright in girls soccer.