This season for the girls soccer team was eventful to say the least. Coming off of a 4-4 record last season, the 2023 season was filled with expectations.
Lead by veteran head coach Mr. Young, the girls finished this season at 6-2 and a berth in the PSAL playoffs. However, the season ultimately ended in failure as the girls were eliminated by Grover Cleveland High School, the same school that eliminated our boys team. As sad as it is to see our season end, this team is full of so many characters, so let’s meet the family …
Shanay Ortiz
The ball is pushing through as they kick …. Shanay Ortiz saves it once again. Ortiz started freshman year as a defender. Before her time at HSTAT, she played on an outside team, so she brought some much needed experience to the team. Like a few seniors on the team, her freshman year of school was cut out entirely due to the pandemic, but in the spring of 2021 her career started.
This was a hard time for everyone but she came back to show us her best.
This year she was our starter as goalie. Her play was crucial to the teams success this year, as she came in clutch in the game against Mckee Staten Island Tech. She finished the regular season with an astounding 75 saves in only 8 matches.
Teresa Arreola
Sophomore Teresa Arreola, nicknamed “The Fly”, became a starter and flashed immediately, finishing with 6 goals and assisting 2 times this season, including an impressive 4 goal game against Adams Street Academy in Tele’s 11-3 dominant victory on October 12th.
She dedicates herself to soccer supporting her team with assists whenever she can, she’s an integral part of the team and they can depend on her because of her great teamwork and her speed.
She felt welcomed on day 1 by her team, supporting her along the way to become a better player.
Michelle Montero
Michelle Montero joined the HSTAT community this year after 2 years at Tilden High School, and made an impact immediately. She finished the season scoring 10 goals and assisting 7 times, but this wasn’t always the plan. When she came to the school, it wasn’t a guarantee that she was even going to play soccer.
When she transferred here, she wasn’t sure about the girls soccer team. However she was convinced fairly easily to join the team by Julissa Chino. Once she joined, she fit right in to the team, becoming a leader and star. We’re excited to see how she grows for her senior year.
Julissa Chino
With excellent speed, excellent control she’s hustling with the ball passing it and receiving it back, going to the right wing in order to shoot the 2 defenders trying to stop her but they can’t, she shoots … and once again she scores! Who’s this? No other than senior captain Julissa Chino.
Chino was dominant this year, scoring 18 goals and chipping in 15 assists. A 4 year starter at HSTAT, she came to the team with the encouragement of her middle school coach and the motivation of her prior experience.
She didn’t know anyone on the team but that didn’t stop her at any moment from giving it her all and her best to the team. Even though things might have bothered her she pushed through and spoke up. She is the captain that we could look up to encouraging us to do our best and go beyond our expectations. She always sees the best in the team seeing how the team has a good connection and everyone has each other’s backs. She hasn’t seen the worse in us but instead things we can improve in like our communication and playing more confidently.
When asked about how she deals with hardships, she responded with “Failure happens all the time, it happens everyday in practice, what makes you better is how you react to it. Practice like you’ve never won, play like you’ve never lost.”
Wise words from our captain.
Natalie Perez
Joining her sophomore year, Natalie Perez gave HSTAT 3 great years where she played 3 different positions. Saving us on defense multiple times, Perez was clutch.
She joined the team after agreeing with Weronika to just join and see how it would go. Later on she actually started to like the sport and the people she played with. She went from mid field, to Goalie to finally getting comfortable on defense.
Just like there is good things in the team, there are things the team can improve in just like being more active, but nevertheless as captain of the team she has worked hard and helped the team hustle for the win no matter what it takes. “We win and lose as a team”.
Finally, let’s talk about Coach Young also known as “Forever Young”. He welcomes everybody with open arms, treating the team like Family.
This idea of family is what makes the 2023 girls soccer team so special. They won as a team, and lost as a team. They have made connections that will last them for life. To our graduating seniors, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for you next. And for the rest of the team, we’re excited to see you next year.
