Girls soccer prevails against Hiltop at their final home game

Pablo Dollero, Copy Editor|May 12, 2021

BVH varsity girls’ soccer forward and junior Vanessa Ramirez (18) shoots the ball and gives the Barons one more goal. Ramirez scored the first two goals of the game, giving them a 2-0 lead.

There were cheers of excitement as Bonita Vista High’s (BVH) varsity girls’ soccer team took on Hilltop High (HTH) in their final home game of the season on May 5. The Barons went home with a win of 4 to 0, giving them an overall 2 to 0 record against Hilltop.

“We played well all-league so today was just management. We knew we were the better team, so it’s just a matter of making sure that we didn’t drop our level; we stayed sharp and continued on our path,” varsity girls’ soccer Head Coach Kiko Medina said.

The Barons started the game strong, with a corner kick from midfielder and junior Ashley Escamilla (3) converting into a goal from forward and junior Vanessa Ramirez (18). Ramirez was able to score the first two goals during the first half of the game, making the score 2 to 0. Ramirez expressed that she was “pretty shocked for both goals,” especially due to the referee calling it offsides and then changing his mind and calling it a goal.

“For the first goal, […] it was a big fiasco between the referee and the other coach, fighting over whether or not it was a goal,” Ramirez said. “I wasn’t even trying to score on the second goal, it was an [accidental] goal from Hilltop’s goalkeeper. I was just trying to save it from going out and she accidentally kicked the ball in.”

As the first half was coming to a close, forward and sophomore Luna Beaulieu (10) scored for the Barons before the halftime whistle, making the score 3 to 0. Defense and senior Rachel Cepe (26) believed that the team dominated during the game due to working hard even though they had the advantage throughout the game.

“I feel like the team did accomplish these goals because we didn’t drop our level down at all despite us being dominant on the attack the whole game,” Cepe said. “The team played really well, we were able to control most of the game and create good opportunities up top.”

During the second half, forward and junior Hannah Burns (9) was able to pull off one more goal for the Barons to secure their win. With a final score of 4 to 0 against Hilltop, the team celebrated with a Senior Night for the seniors, as it was their last home game.

“It was good that our seniors were able to get a season in because, for a while, we didn’t think it was gonna happen,” Medina said. “We’re definitely proud of the seniors for being good leaders and teaching the younger players what our program is about. Having that success [feels] great as a player; your last year, you obviously want to go out on a high note and they were able to achieve that.”

During Senior Night, the team celebrated with congratulatory posters, balloons, flowers and sashes while sharing their memories and giving speeches with fellow team members and parents. Ramirez said that she will “miss the seniors very much” and that she wishes them all the best post-graduation. Cepe felt mixed emotions knowing it was their final home game but was grateful that the team got to celebrate with a win.

“To my teammates: Thank you for being so amazing this season. I know you’ll be a strong team next year too, so keep pushing each other and having each other’s backs,” Cepe said. “To the new players: Work hard and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It’s okay to have an off day.”