Although dreams of a perfect season have come to an end, Cal High’s varsity women’s soccer team is proving to be a force in the Bay Area so far this season.
The Grizzlies opened the season with a six-game winning streak before losing 1-0 at home to James Logan on Jan. 10. Cal bounced back by beating Monte Vista 3-1 on Jan. 13 to possibly start another streak.
Cal is second in the East Bay Athletic League at 3-0, trailing only Carondelet. The girls are also ranked second among NCS Division 1 schools, eighth among San Francisco Metro schools, 51st in the state, and 134th in the nation with an overall record of 9-1.
“Last year was kind of a struggle, so it’s good to see improvement,” senior midfielder Izabella Souza said of Cal’s team that finished 7-9-4. “I think this year people are more into it, and more competitive at practice.”
Souza has been playing on Cal’s varsity team since she was a freshman. She said that since that year, everyone was looking toward senior year as having the potential to be the team’s strongest.
She was right, as Cal has played the best soccer in years.
“I am not surprised we have some really great talent on this team, and we have been playing really well collectively as a team,” freshman left back Remi Stiner said.
Stiner is one of two freshman on the varsity team, a proud accomplishment of hers. But she emphasized that there is still much for her to learn.
During Cal’s opening six-game winning streak, the girls outscored their opponents by a combined score of 29-5. The Grizzlies capped their winning streak with a 2-0 win over league rival Dublin on Jan. 8.
“They were pretty aggressive,” sophomore outside back Coraline Chan said of the Dublin team.
As the only sophomore on the team, Chan is determined to retain her spot by continuously improving her skills throughout this season and those to come.
Although Cal has been performing great, like in their 9-0 win against Emerald High, the team isn’t taking anything for granted and is focusing on improving each match.
But the next couple of matches on Cal’s schedule seem tough. On Jan. 15 Cal faced off against Granada on their home turf, winning 1-0, and later that week on Jan 17, they played and won 2-0 against American High at their campus. Their upcoming away game against San Ramon Valley will be another challenging match-up.
“I’m not really worried about any upcoming games, but I’m most excited for probably St. Francis High School because they’re ranked even higher than us,” Souza said.
Cal travels to Mountain View to play St. Francis, the 16th-ranked team in the nation, on Jan. 31.
The regular season ends on Feb. 7, but with the way the girls are playing NCS playoffs seems very achievable.
To finish strong and reach that goal, the team plans to stay focused and continue working hard. Many players plan to play soccer in college, so they’re taking full advantage of their opportunities.
During practices, the girls put in their maximum effort to ensure they bring the most to their team. But some players say the team needs to continue to improve their communication on the field.
“We pass the ball,” Souza said. “We’re not like clique-ish on the field, so like everyone’s touching the ball.”
Team dynamics are crucial to their success, as demonstrated by their powerful play.
The players are hoping and aiming to end the season strong, so many have good luck messages for their teammates.
“Stay focused. Let’s grind, and let’s go!” Souza said.
