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Moffat County soccer celebrates seniors as season ends

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Moffat County soccer players Astrid Silva, Esmerelda Lopez, Genesis Villalobos and Jordis White will participate in Senior Night against Delta on Tuesday, April 30th, along with coach Trinity Beckner.
Andy Bockelman/Craig Press

Whether it was their first and only season or the end of their senior year, Moffat County athletes left it all on the field at Bulldog Proving Grounds.

MCHS girls soccer wrapped up its schedule this week with a home game against Delta on Senior Night and the final game of the road trip at Rifle.

For Tuesday's home event, the team moved from its regular pitch to the soccer field to face the Panthers.

Despite losing 9-0 to Delta, the Bulldogs had reason to celebrate as they fielded four seniors: Esmerelda Lopez, Astrid Silva, Genesis Villalobos and Jordis White.

Coach Trinity Beckner said the seniors are all natural athletes, although they have different experience levels.

“Soccer is a sport where everyone thinks they can come and play, but when you step in and think you can become something, and in reality you're not, it really crushes your confidence.” she said. “They have not only grown in their soccer skills, but also their mentality in how they face challenges.”

In addition to getting the chance to play in the stadium, Villalobos said the last home game was emotional.

“I'm going to miss everyone on the team. We've all gotten along so well,” she said.

Villalobos has played all four years of varsity soccer, but spent his final season in a different spot on the field than he did as a freshman, spending his senior year as a defender.

“For the past three years I've been an outside wing, so this year I was trying something different. It was a perfect fit for me,” she said.

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With López, one of the team's forwards, suffering an ankle injury, White became even more active up front, taking every opportunity to attack goal. She said that as a first-year athlete in the sport, she has worked especially hard to increase her energy compared to her previous volleyball and hoops.

“I wish I had done it all four years. The pace is even more demanding,” she said. “Basketball is fast-paced, but nothing is as fast as soccer. It was hard to get used to running all the time, but once you got used to it, it was easy.”

White's frustration with not scoring on Tuesday also affected his team's final game, when he put the ball into the box in an 8-1 rematch with Rifle.

“Our goalie hit a good dropkick and we were off to the races,” Beckner said of White's comeback.

The 0-14 spring was tough, but it was also one that allowed Beckner and fellow coach Ashley Chaffin to make adjustments to the program.

“They're built to be a defensive team, not an offensive team, and in football you have to be both. Every day they fight harder,” Beckner said. “I came to a team that didn't have confidence in simple passing the ball, and now we have girls who are confident in themselves and can play an 80-minute game.”

Beckner, himself a former Bulldog football player, said the program's rebuilding journey is ongoing but will continue next spring as the returning players continue to develop.

“We are a night and day different team now than we were at the end of February,” she said. “I definitely think next year we’ll be able to start earlier and have a better season.”

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