Windermere Prep girls soccer brings home SSAC state title | Observer Preps

A buzzer sounds with alarming intensity, but for the girls in the dark blue and white of Windermere Prep, it’s a sound of relief.

It’s a signal of a hard battle won, and one for which the girls on coach Greg Stone’s soccer team had been waiting.

As the scoreboard reads 2-1, players raid the field at All Saints Academy with fervent energy as they dog pile in celebration. The sight of pure joy and excitement from his players is one that mirrored Stone’s own feelings in the moment.

“It was an exciting moment obviously, winning the SSAC state championship,” said Stone, who has coached the team since its inception about 12 years ago. “Just to see the hard work and the commitment that the girls put into the season this year and really culminate with the state championship … (it was) a great ending for the team.”

The 2-1 win over The Master’s Academy was a complete team effort — a consistent strength for the Lakers throughout the season. Junior Manoela Costa and sophomore Bel Teixeira put the ball into the back of the net for the Lakers (off assists from seniors Gaby Azambuja and Silvana Lopez).

Many factors led to this special moment of winning their first state title, but the most important one for Stone is the cohesion his team built. It also comes after the team fell just short in the championship game last year.

“We had a lot of players who really contributed, and we were talking about that — the coaching staff — and it’s not really one MVP, because we had strong players defensively, strong players in the midfield and strong players up front,” Stone said. “We had several different players score goals this year, which in years past, it may be one or two players with all the goals. This year, it was spread out.”

Leading the way through the Lakers’ 11-4-1 title-winning season in goals, surprisingly enough, is freshman midfielder Courtney Mogauro — who clocked in with an impressive 12 goals and four assists. Following up Mogauro was senior forward Silvana Lopez (10 goals, 11 assists) and Teixeira (seven goals, 10 assists). 

Although each played important roles throughout the season, it was Costa and senior goalkeeper Sarah Hudgins who stepped up big in the playoffs.

“It was an exciting moment obviously, winning the SSAC state championship. Just to see the hard work and the commitment that the girls put into the season this year and really culminate with the state championship … (it was) a great ending for the team.”

— Greg Stone

Costa scored twice in the Lakers’ quarterfinal 4-0 win over Admiral Farragut Academy before going on to score in the SSAC final. Meanwhile, as Costa was scoring left and right, Hudgins was holding down the fort back at goal. She recorded two of her eight shutouts in the playoffs — holding Admiral Farragut Academy and Legacy Charter to the proverbial goose egg.

Having his players at the top of their game for the playoffs was somewhat of a relief for Stone, who worries every year about the winter break that seemingly cuts the season into two. In years past, he had issues with girls coming back unprepared, but this season was different.

“It’s always interesting with soccer, because you come back after winter break — the kids have had a little bit of time off — and have a couple of games and then you’re in the playoffs,” Stone said. “So getting everyone refocused and game fit again is always tough, because it’s a week before the playoffs to do so. We try to bring everyone in and talk to them about mentally preparing and being physically fit for the big matches coming up, because it’s like a second season.”

The run itself is even more impressive when considering Stone utilized a roster filled with underclassmen — including an eighth-grader in Brielyn Knowles, who at midfield became a starter and recorded five goals and four assists.

And those younger players will be asked next season to step up even more; the Lakers will have six seniors graduating from this year’s team.

Although that would put most coaches in a position of uncertainty toward the possible success of next year’s campaign, Stone said he isn’t worried — although there is a level of hype that next year’s team has to deal with following a championship season.

“Looking forward, we graduate five or six seniors who were big contributors with the program, so we will have to have some younger players next year who are willing to come in and work, and fill in the shoes of these seniors who helped really make the program what it is today,” Stone said. “They had their lumps along the way and things like that. 

“We always talk to our seniors about paving the way for the underclassmen and teaching them and showing them the way,” he said. “Going forward, we hope that our younger players will be anxious to get a shot to come in and prove themselves and work hard.”