By: Peter Frankunas (283) and Layla Jamo-Cohen (283)
Central’s Girls Varsity Soccer fought long and hard this season, finishing first in the Public League with a 12-0-1 record. The team tied with their rivals, Franklin Towne Charter, after a hard-fought match. Coach Johns knew it would be a difficult team to beat, but Central went to work, preparing for their next game without hesitation.
The team continued their winning streak after the tie and secured a spot in the playoffs. In the first playoff game, the seniors led the team to a 7-0 blowout win, putting them back up against Franklin Town in the semi-finals. The semi-final game was a nail-biter as it went into sudden-death overtime. Central pushed through and put the ball in the back of the net in double-overtime to secure the win. It was a close one, but the team played hard and continued onto the Public League Championship.
The Public League Championship was a showdown between Central and Masterman. The team clinched its third Public League Championship in a row! Central finished the season undefeated, and as the team put it, they were “#1 ALL AROUND!!!”
Their story did not end there; they continued onto the District XII Finals against Archbishop Carroll. Tensions were high going into the finals, as Central beat the same school last year in a close game, winning 1-0 in double overtime. They did it again and left the game with their fourth District XII title in a 5-3 win.
Unfortunately, Central lost in the States, but it does not take away from the amazing, undefeated season the players had. Next year, the Girls Varsity Soccer team will lose its beloved seniors: Lala Juaniza, Chloe Chris, Evelyn Schmidt, Kiyah Talley, Nevaeh Washington, Arwen Vandenbergh, and two captains, Sara Hogan and Fiona Fuller. Losing eight players will leave the team three short of a full team on the field, so there’s no telling what next year’s season will look like. But, the talent of the 283, 284, and 285 players tells us that another Public League Championship is in sight.
The Centralizer 