After making it to the C.I.F. playoffs last season, the Girls Varsity Soccer team is entering Rio Hondo League play this year with the utmost confidence. They believe that they will make it deep into the playoffs this year.
The Lady Rams lost their league opener against the Monrovia Wildcats on Jan. 14 by a score of 2-0. The team is hoping that they will be able to make a run and finish on top of the league standings.
One major difference between this year and previous seasons is the way the team plays as a unit. The Lady Rams comunicate better with each other on the field.
“In previous years the team wasn’t very connected, which resulted in a lot of arguments,” Senior Patricia Dull said. “I think we are a closer knit team this year.”
The Lady Rams started strong in the preseason, achieving a record of 7-4-2. The team’s only losses before their first league game came from tournament games where they played higher division teams. Despite the outcome, those games provided the team with valuable experience.
“This year our team wants to become more connected and strive towards a common goal,” Sophomore Alexxis Molinar said. “We have really gelled as a team so far.”
The girls shattered these expectations early in the season beating San Dimas, a team that the Lady Rams have lost to for the past three years, sparking a five game win streak. The streak ended when the Lady Rams tied the Alverno Jaguars and the Schurr Spartans, but were proud of their performance during this seven game stretch.
With an overall record of 8-8, the Girls Varsity Basketball team plans to be the one calling the shots during league. With the start of their season came all the necessary precautions to ensure they were fully prepared for what was to come. The Lady Rams lost their first game of the season against El Rancho on Nov. 28 with a score of 53-50 and lost another three consecutive close games.“We’ve played numerous games this year,” Sophomore Cindy Kreeck said. “This year, each game has taught us something and showed us that we need to improve on a certain aspect of our game as a team and individually.”The team made several comebacks after learning from their previous games, and defeating El Monte on Dec. 18 by a score of 36-22 despite trailing by 14 points in the first half.The Lady Rams went on to defeat Azusa on Dec. 20 by a score of 39-28. Their win was due to the girls’ ability to move fast and push the ball, as well as strong leadership from the seniors and second year players.Crediting their success to a strong defense combined with effective communication, the team enhanced these traits in the increasingly challenging games that the team has taken on.Their success has given them confidence for their season. Players are anxious and excited to bring their best, and expect to do well in league.“We are now gelling more together as a team,” Coach Emmery Thompson said. “[We want] to be able to compete and be a threat to every team we play.”However, due to their small size, the team struggles with fouling and rebounding. They plan to make up for size with speed. Their goals include forcing the opposing team to commit turnovers, or losing possession of the ball and being able to establish a good inside game so they can spread the floor, or maintain good positions.In order to accomplish this, the team trained rigorously during the offseason. This included sprints and laps around the track, drills with the step ladder and lifting weights four days a week. During the season, the team focuses on shooting, rebounding and plays.“Practice is really physically and emotionally draining for me,” Senior Kristin Takasugi said. “But I think it’s totally worth the result.”The players are confident in the team’s potential and the skills they learned during their training.