The Sweet Home High School varsity girls soccer team named Haley Kent, with 127 saves at goalie, its Most Valuable Player based on team votes during its annual awards dessert on Nov. 13.
No other goalie had as many saves, said Coach Ramiro Santana.
In other awards, Allison Wickline and Courtney Kent were named Best Defender; Best Midfielder was Katie Virtue, scoring eight goals; Ashley Wickline, Best Forward; and Auna Davis and Courtney Kent, Hustle Award.
The Coach’s Award went to Virtue, Courtney Kent, Davis and Haley Kent. These are the kinds of players he doesn’t know how he will replace next year, Santana said.
He noted that this is the first year he has not had to worry about members of his team not playing because of grades. The team carried a 3.6 grade-point average.
Santana gave fourth-year letters to Natalie Currey, Katy Currey, Courtney Kent, Haley Kent and Virtue.
The Currey twins had a rough time the first couple of years due to illness, Santana said, and he wishes the last three years had been like this year.
“They’re fun to be around,” Santana said. “They made me laugh a lot this year.”
It’s tough to say goodbye to seniors and four-year lettermen, he said. “You get attached to the kids.”
The team is not the same without both of the Kent twins, Santana said. When one isn’t playing, the game turns out badly.
“They’re funny,” Santana said. “They’re kind of quiet, but when they speak, they’re fun.”
If he needed anyone to do anything over the past four years, Virtue has been there, Santana said. She has been his right hand, and she was “one of the most impressive freshmen I have had. She knows the game, can kick left and right, play goalie, defender, midfielder, forward. It doesn’t matter where. It just is good.”
JV award winners included Hannah Jewett, MVP; Brianna Warth, Coach’s Award; Sierra Douglas, Husky Hustle; Kenzi Adams, Mighty Midfielder; Kaylee Lewis, Fabulous Forward Amber Doles and Chloe Newport, Daring Defender; and Lilly Parker, Betty Bruiser.
The awards were selected by the team except the Coach’s Award and Betty Bruiser, selected by the coach.
First-year lettermen included seniors Lacey Carranza and Briana Warth, juniors Phoebe Olson and Caroline Huss and sophomore Sarah Dunkley.
Second-year letters went to junior Maddee Hawken and sophomores Ashley Wickline, Allison Wickline and Mackenzie Virtue.
Third-year letters went to seniors Auna Davis and Jessica Hoover.
The team finished the season 4-4-2 in league and 5-6-2 overall, playing one game in a state play-in round, losing to Cottage Grove in that game to finish the season.