Going into Tuesday night’s game, Starr’s Mill was coming off a loss while Harrison was on a six-game winning streak. Harrison’s winning streak continued as they defeated the Lady Panthers, 5-0.
Starr’s Mill has come up short the last five times they played Harrison.
“We play the toughest teams we can find to help prepare us for the best teams in the playoffs,” head coach John Bowen said. “It isn’t always easy to [find non-region games], but we try our best to play teams that will challenge us, expose any issues, and help us grow and improve.”
Despite the fact that they lost, Tuesday was the annual senior night event. All seniors were honored in between the boys and girls game.
“[Senior Night] honestly means the world to me,” senior Emerson Bredahl said. “It’s great to have a night that recognizes the combination of all my hard work and seeing how far I’ve come since my 8th grade year.”
The varsity girls soccer players that were honored that evening included Bredahl, Bella Ledford, Isabella Large, Olivia Shaw, and Ali Meyer. All of these seniors have been involved with the program for three or more years. Incorporating this special night into the schedule allows for these seniors to be recognized and appreciated for their hard work and dedication to soccer.
“It is important to recognize the contributions of your seniors,” Bowen said. “It also allows the parents to have a moment with their seniors before they leave school.”
The girls kept it close to begin the game but soon started to lose gas. Starr’s Mill trailed 2-0 at halftime.
The Lady Panthers ultimately started facing a mental toughness barrier and allowed Harrison to score three more goals during the last half. Inconsistency of intensity and energy levels throughout the entire game was a contributing factor in the loss.
The team is still first in the region with a 11-6 overall record and 6-0 in region play.
Both soccer teams travel to McIntosh High School on April 18 for a pair of matches. The girls match begins at 6 p.m. and the boys match follows.