Living in the city of Colton, there is always one thing that you can hear just about every day, “Colton Pride.” Well, this year’s Colton High Girls Varsity Soccer team is making Colton beam with pride at their most recent accomplishment.
The team was really able to turn things around this year. Going from 3-16-2 to 14-7-3 and even making it to the 2nd round of CIF. They faced a heartbreaking defeat in overtime with a score of 1-0. The team won a wildcard game vs. Lakeside 4-0, and beat Orange Vista in Pk’s, but ultimately lost to Webb in OT.
Coach Manuel Flores stated, “We told the girls to believe in the process all last year and coming into preseason and they truly made us proud. Many could have had given up or quit, but they were determined to excel.” With the team’s accomplishment in turning their season around and achieving such a high goal, it made the coaches beam with pride. Flores told the team, “You can’t learn to win until we have lost and learned. For this, we will be stronger and hungrier than ever.”
The determination and dedication is real with this team and it has shown throughout the season. They plan to return with nine of the 11 starters next season with many of the girls saying they have unfinished business.
The team had four of their girls make it to First Team All-League: Alexis Ramirez, Madicyn Martinez, Vanessa Covarrubias, and Ashley Mena.
Junior Alexis Ramirez, captain of the girls varsity soccer team scored 18 goals and six assists and had 42 points, which was second in the Sunkist league in scoring and points while playing five fewer games than the girl in first at Bloomington. Ramirez has the most goals and points in Colton High girls varsity soccer in the past 10 seasons.
After the defeat in round two Ramirez and her co-captain, Madicyn Martinez, were asked what was next. They both replied, “Back to the grind, no days off this offseason.” The pair then woke up at 7 am along the next day and went to the Azusa pacific ID camp by personal invitation of the Azusa Pacific head coach to showcase their talents.
Ramirez has been playing soccer since she was 3-years old while her co-captain Martinez began playing around 6-years old. Martinez explained her love for the game, “Just the experience on the field and the adrenaline going makes you feel like you’re in your own little world and most importantly it’s where I’m able to let loose and have real fun.”
Both girls have expressed how much the sport means to them as well as the friends that become family. Being able to play each year and making new friends that you develop a bond with. Martinez stated, “They start off as friendships but soon develop into a family. And it’s the type of relationship you wouldn’t wanna trade for anything in the world.”
Making CIF and making friends is not the only accomplishment these girls get to experience. Ramirez expressed her own personal growth that happens throughout the season, “I feel like this season was the year I started to get serious and start to actually work on things I needed to improve myself. I’ve grown a lot compared to my past years, not even just stat-wise.”
The season brought many emotions to the girls and to the team. From defeat to loss and from making friends to experiencing personal growth. One of the most important lessons Rmirez learned this season was to, “trust the process.” Each player experiences their own lesson. Martinez says, “You win as a family and you lose as a family but no matter what you do you have to work as a unit/ family to get good end results. And even if the results aren’t in your favor, it’s okay if you gave it 110%.”
The city of Colton is proud of their Girls Varsity soccer team and its players. They did a huge turnaround this season and it shows. Even though they’ve experienced the taste of defeat in round two at CIF, Captain Alexis Ramirez firmly stated, “It’s gasoline to the fire for this off season and next season” This team will be back next season ignited with determination.