The Soccer Season Has Started
Soccer season has officially begun, with both the girls and boys teams having already played several Golden League games. Both teams are fighting for a high rank in the league so that they can reach CIF, a statewide tournament.
The teams have been regulars in the CIF tournament over the past couple seasons. The girls teams won the Golden League title for the past two years, and the boys won it recently. The boys team also made it to the CIF quarterfinals, a record not just for Eastside but for the entire school district. The only other school to have ever reached that point in the tournament was Quartz Hill.
Although previous success has placed high expectations on both teams, the season has got off to a rough start. In the opener against rival AV High, both teams lost.
And, for the girls team, that loss was a total surprise.
When the game ended last Tuesday, Eastside was ahead with a score of 2–0. But a rule violation changed everything. One of Eastside’s players was used in both the JV and Varsity game on that day, a move that both broke league rules and resulted in a forfeit.
Even before this unexpected announcement, some of the players were feeling disappointed at their performance.
“We didn’t do bad, but we all could have done way better,” says Varsity player Heaven Mejia.
The boys soccer season has also got off to a rough start. They lost to AV as well. Down by three goals at halftime, the team eventually rallied back for two more goals, compliments of Chris Romero and Eduardo Ramirez. That wasn’t enough. The team still lost 3–2.
“Some of our players weren’t as ready to play,” says Varsity player Kemmich Uribe. “We didn’t know what to expect because this was our first game of the season, and it didn’t go well.”
Despite the rough start to the season, the teams have started to rally. The girls team has won both of their games since, beating Quartz Hill and Palmdale. The Palmdale game, a 9–0 blowout, was especially impressive.
The boys team has continued its trend of nail-biters, with a 2–1 win over Quartz Hill and a 2–1 loss against Palmdale.
Both teams are looking forward to strong performances against Littlerock this week. The girls team is playing at home today, and the boys team will be on the road tomorrow.
“We can only continue to work hard,” says boys Varsity coach Mr. Jimenez. “Life is about falling apart, but it’s also about getting back up. That’s what makes life worth living for. We will continue to improve.”
