The Pagosa Springs High School Lady Pirate soccer team finished up its season last week, going 1-1-1 to finish the season with a 6-7-1 overall record.
The Lady Pirates began their final week of the season with a big matchup at home versus rival Bayfield. Despite beating the Wolverines 6-1 earlier this season, the game ended in a 1-1 tie.
The Lady Pirates were ranked No. 32 after the tie and held the final playoff spot with two games remaining.
The first game was at home against Del Norte on Thursday, April 30, and the second game was at Fruita Monument, facing off against a 5A playoff team, on Friday, May 1.
Coach Trevor Gian explained he knew the girls needed to finish the season strong if they wanted to make the playoffs and continue to play soccer this season.
Thursday’s game against Del Norte was the final home game of the regular season and senior night for the Lady Pirates.
The girls handled their emotions great and attacked the game, noted Gian, and the Lady Pirates won the game 4-1.
“Couldn’t ask for a better senior night game,” he said. “And the win, obviously, was something we were looking for.”
The girls were up 2-1 at halftime, but were able to flip the script in the second half and came out in dominant fashion on their way to a 4-1 win, Gian emphasized.
Senior Terriana Cage and junior Ximena Garcia each had two goals for the Lady Pirates in the game. Garcia also added an assist.
After the win over Del Norte, the Lady Pirates headed to Fruita for their final game of the regular season. The Fruita Monument Wildcats held a 4-5-2 record heading into the game and were ranked in the top 40 in 5A.
Gian explained he knew the game would be tough, and it was made even tougher as the girls had a shortened warmup due to being late to the game.
The girls lost the game 10-0, but gained not only the respect of their coaches, but the respect of their opponents, Gian noted after the game.
“You can coach some tactics, things like that,” he said, “but you can’t really coach heart, and that’s what I’d take out of that one, at the end of the day. Backs against the wall, and they showed heart the entire way.”
When it was all said and done, the Lady Pirates finished ranked No. 34 in 3A, two spots off the playoffs.
Still, Gian noted he appreciates that his team was in a position to even fight for a playoff spot down the stretch.
His goal for the team was for them to never quit on the season, and they never did, he indicated.
“We just wanted to give ourselves a shot at playoffs, show people who the Pirates are and what kind of program we have here in Pagosa,” he said. “When they see the Pagosa Pirates on the schedule, they know what they’re going up against.”
Gian also emphasized that the success that this year’s team had wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership and experience of its seniors.
Heidy Renteria, Kaylee Hensle, Xyra Belarmino, Natalia Monterroso, Katelyn Fricke and Cage all played their final game in a Lady Pirate uniform on Friday.
“They have [had an] amazing impact on the team on and off the field,” Gian said. “So, yeah, it’ll be tough losing them.”
Despite losing such an important class of seniors, Gian is confident that the younger girls will step up next year.
He emphasized that this group of juniors will continue to build off the foundation of the girls that came before them.
“This junior class, they’ll be prepared for it,” he said. “Getting to learn from those seniors and see it will give them the insights to continue embracing the legacy of being a Pirate soccer player and setting the tone for the younger players that they’re going to inherit.”
Gian also emphasized that assistant coach Dyan Rice’s impact on the team often goes unnoticed and this year’s success wouldn’t have been possible without her.
“I’m just proud of the team, proud of the girls, and really, really happy with what we saw this season,” Gian said.
jsellner@orourkemediagroup.com
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