With spring sports soon beginning, spirits for different teams are rising but for the girls’ soccer team, it is their expectations that have risen.

“I think every year our expectation is to make it to the district championship and then to state,” said Assistant Coach Casey Denton. To make it to the championship, the girls must be undefeated in the district tournament before playing in the championship and a chance for state.
“Last year was a transformational year, we made it back to the district championship for the first time since I was a senior in high school,” said Denton. The year that Denton was a senior was also the first time the girls’ team had made it to a state game.
On sport teams, leaders generally help keep the team organized and focused on their ultimate goal of winning no matter the deficit or challenge the team is faced with. “Our junior class includes some of the most traditional leaders in a sense with Carlee Thompson and Marisa Perez,” Denton said.
“I remind them [the team] that we are there to work hard but to also have fun,” said Thompson “I really want to work on connecting with everyone and creating that family like attitude.” Teams that work together and rely on one another’s abilities generally compete a higher level. Thompson has played soccer since she was five and has had many colleges talking to her about playing at a higher level after high school.
“The head coach is incredible, Jose Vargas,” said Denton, “he knows the game of soccer and is also the Head Director for Gretna Soccer.” Vargas has helped many girls sign to play college in soccer with the connections he has.
“Focusing on the expectations we have set for ourselves and achieve them,” said Denton, is the way that the soccer team will make it to state since Denton’s senior year team did. Often, when teams lose focus on their main goal and lose unexpected games to underdogs, so Denton has made it a priority to keep the big picture in mind.
“We have been the best of the bottom tier schools, and last year was the year where we worked our way into the elite schools,” said Denton, “where we are a competitor, but still an underdog.” Teams like Marian and Millard West dominate Class A soccer, but with the coaching of Vargas and Denton, the team hopes to improve from last years appearance at the district championship and continue to state.