Seniors scatter across the field, stretched and ready to play. The ball is thrown and the game begins as the lady Dawgs varsity soccer team face off against Akins in their senior night game. The game took place at Burger Stadium, at 6:00p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, and ended in a victory for Bowie.
“It was nice to get to play with everybody, and it felt important to take in those last moments in being with the team,” Senior Kara Kaiser said. “I had a rough moment in the beginning when I moved over to center back, but then I got into the flow of the game and I just had fun. The main point of a senior game is to acknowledge the seniors that were part of the Bowie girls soccer program. It’s a game that also marks a moment in time towards the next stage of our lives and leaving a program that signifies a sport that means a lot to us.”
The game started with a celebration for graduating team members and managers in which seniors took the field with their families. The senior girls were given flowers and crowns to wear as they took photos and had their graduation plans announced. The non-senior team members held up signs to celebrate their older teammates as they walked the field.
“It was so cute, I love my team so much, they’re so sweet,” senior Penelope Durbin said. “I really appreciate everybody who put in the work to make those posters for us. It was really heartwarming, and it made me tear up a little bit. I’m going to miss everyone so much. Everyone means so much to me, and I’m going to be leaving everybody, and it’s just so surreal.”
The girls started slow, but dominated the first half with a score of 4-0 at halftime. Junior Kennedy Quinones scored two goals in the first half of the game, extending the teams lead over Akins.
“My midfielders and wingers set me up really well for my goals with good through balls over the top,” Quinones said. “I felt really happy that I could contribute to the team and help us get the mercy rule win.”
The team held up their defense the entire game keeping Akins from scoring a single point. The game ended with a score of 8-0 when Senior Violet Hill scored the game winning goal.
“It was fun to score a goal since I’m a defender and that’s not what my position typically does,” Hill said. “The game was really fun, because we all got to play in positions that we never played in. It was just a big bonding experience for me and all the girls.”
Many fans showed up to support the Dawgs as they worked towards their eighth win of the year with four district wins, and four pre-season wins. Some of the fans came to the game specifically to cheer on the senior girls for one of their last games of the season.
“I was asked to go, which is an honor, but I also really like being there for the end of something that was really special to kids who were special to me,” English teacher John Flickinger said. “It was a blowout. I was happy to see our girls get a victory for one of their last games, especially in front of the crowd.”
While the game brought the girls another win, it also allowed seniors a chance to get more play time. Graduating team members include managers Madison Rasp, Katie Cox, Claudia Leon, and Avery Sherron and players Durbin, Hill, Kaiser, Caroline Baxter, Lily Tayar, Cameron Alsup, Marley Downs, Stella Kloninger, and Rowan Lusk. For some of them this was an opportunity to play a game they love one more time before graduation.
“I thought it was a lot of fun,” Durbin said. “I’m really happy with my performance and the performance of everyone on the team. I got to play a lot, which was very exciting, because I don’t normally get to play as much.”
The girls have another game coming up on Friday, March 6, against Austin High School. The game will be held at House Park Stadium at 7:45p.m.
“Last time that we played Austin High, it was a really close game, and so the girls have worked really hard to prepare,” coach Isaac Nevarez said. “It can be a really exciting game. Austin High is almost like our rivals outside of West Lake. Even though we’re out of playoff contention this year, we’re hopefully going to be able to knock them down a peg. We always have a really good turnout and a fun game, and going to House Park and going downtown is just really cool.”
