The Hampton-Dumont-CAL soccer team concluded their regular season home schedule with a senior night doubleheader split against Garner-Hayfield-Ventura on Monday. The boys won 9-0 and the girls fell 8-0, as aired on 104.9 KLMJ.
In the boys match, the Bulldogs boxed in the Cardinals offense in the first half. Offensively, Fernando Mota netted the scoreless tiebreaker with 16:21 to go. The Bulldogs sprinted to a 4-0 lead just before the half with three goals inside a duration of 1:30, with two by Jesus Flores and one by Christian Zavala. In the second half, the Bulldogs maintained the shutout and added goals from Mota with three, and Zavala and Gabriel Munguia each with one apiece. This was H-D-CAL’s fourth shutout win of the season.
Senior Midfielder Fernando Mota on his haul and the drive of this year’s squad.
“It feels amazing. To have it on senior night too, we had a huge crowd, it looked amazing. I love my fans, I love my team. I had to do it for them. It was an amazing experience and I wish I could do it again,” says Mota. “My ability to play midfielder. I love supporting my team. I like making passes. It feels good when you make a good pass and they make a goal. I love to see my teammates score as well. Every single one is just getting out there, going 100 percent and just giving it all. I’m really excited for Substate. I’m really excited.”
Head Coach Danielle Arana on the difference maker remembering to have fun is.
“It was about learning, growing, and preparing for the postseason. Then also just having fun, enjoying the reason that we play, that they play and that I coach, back to soccer,” says Arana. “I think that was part of our success. At this age, especially with so many seniors out there, that we forget to have fun sometimes. Once they really got that momentum and that thought process of just enjoying the night, it just took off.”
In the girls match, H-D-CAL denied the Cardinals from a fourth straight 10-0 mercy rule win against them. The Cardinals pulled out to 5-0 lead at the half behind three goals by leading scorer Bella Schisel. The Bulldogs held their ground in the second half, forcing the Cardinals to extended droughts between their final three goals.
Head Coach Ben Schlachter on the effort by this year’s team and the lasting impact of the seniors.
“You can’t really say enough about the perseverance, the determination, the drive and the effort that these girls have put forth. They had all the chips stacked against them. They could have packed it in at any time, but they just keep fighting,” says Schlachter. “It’s hard to see some of them go. They’ve meant so much to this program, to my kids, to my wife, the kids in the youth soccer program, they really look up to some of them. The ones we had this year were special.”
The Bulldog girls (0-12-1) will conclude their regular season at Iowa Falls-Alden on Thursday. The boys (9-3-3) have concluded regular season action and will await their postseason destination.
