After suffering a 1-0 loss to School Without Walls in the DCIAA Championship, the Jackson-Reed girls soccer team is ready for revenge.
With a 7-0 record in league play, the Tigers claimed the first seed in the DCIAA playoffs and started off strong, beating Banneker High School 12-0 to advance to the championship to face the Penguins. JR and Walls’ regular season matchup had ended in JR’s favor with a final score of 3-1. However, the championship was an upset for the Tigers, as they fell 1-0, snapping a 13-year DCIAA championship streak for JR. “We are all really disappointed with the result of the DCIAA championship game not only because of the result, but because we did not play our best and know we could have done better,” senior captain Kinzly Gootman said. “It was a mix of embarrassment, sadness, and disappointment. I watched the Walls team run across the field screaming and hugging and just wished that could’ve been us,” senior Ruby Melrose added.
However, the Tigers are not letting this loss discourage them as they look to the DCSAA playoffs. “It was a humbling moment that got us into a stronger mindset for preparing for DCSAA,” Melrose said. With an overall record of 12-6-3, the Tigers are seeded 6 and will face the 3 seeded St. John’s Cadets in the first round. “In the DCSAA playoffs we want to show that the DCIAA championship game was not our team. We are taking the frustration and using it as motivation to go win an even bigger trophy,” Gootman added.
After taking a few days off to process and reflect on the loss, the Tigers were back in the film room and preparing for the DCSAA tournament. “We took a few days off practice, but after a team meeting we are ready to battle in states,” junior defender Josey Kanach said.
Last year after posting a 13-4-1 overall record, and claiming the 3 seed, the Tigers were ousted in the second round by 6 seed Sidwell Friends in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss, adding even more motivation for the group to win this year.
With 11 seniors, making up half the team, the Tigers’ roster is full of experience and determination to go out with a big win and capture JR’s second DCSAA girls soccer championship. “No matter what happens I know the team will leave everything we have on the field,” Melrose concluded.
