January 1, 2026

Written by Dave Smith

EASTVALE:  The girls soccer team finished the month of December by playing 18 games and going into league play with a 12-3-3 record. The girls have worked hard on their teamwork and when they are playing up to their potential, they can be a very tough team for any opponent.

They continue to learn after each game they play and that experience should benefit them as they begin league play next week. The month was capped off with a second place finish in the Silverlakes Tournament after losing the championship game to Roosevelt, 2-0.

The first game of the tournament was a 1-0 victory against Arlington, where senior Jordan Akparanta scored the only goal of the game.

In the second game, King defeated Ayala 3-1 on two more goals by Jordan and a goal by senior Angelina Enriquez.

The semi-final game against Don Lugo was a King second half comeback where sophomore Lucy Allen scored four goals to lead King to a 4-1 victory.

The girls played composed and with great heart in the championship game against a very strong Roosevelt squad. Freshman goalkeeper Aaliyah Abeyta had seven saves to keep the game close.

Captain Macy-Paige Quiroz said “our tournament went great. We came up short against Roosevelt in the finals for the championship, but we played consistent as a team the entire tournament, even in games where we fell behind and found a way to come back and take the win due to our cohesiveness that we gained this preseason. Can’t wait for league!”

As the coach, I agree.  We emphasized being more intentional with our attack and it paid off in the tournament. If we can continue to evolve as a team as the girls learn each other’s strengths and talents and how their play can complement them, we will continue to grow as a team.

The girls are becoming more confident in themselves as a team, and this shows up in their ability to work through challenges that they face in their games. As a coach, I value each of them as individuals and as a team. It is such an honor to be their coach and to watch them grow so close together.