This season, both the LASA boys and girls soccer teams dominated their respective districts, and the varsity teams advanced to playoffs. Both went undefeated during their district seasons and had numerous players receive district awards.
During the 2024 soccer season, the girls varsity soccer team placed a narrow second in their district game, later winning their first game of playoffs and becoming bi-district champions. The boys varsity team would win district for the second running year, also advancing to playoffs but losing in the bi-district round. With this success, the coaches plan to make some changes to the teams that can be built into the next season.
Chloe Cardinale has coached LASA girls soccer for eight years. As the varsity girls coach, Cardinale says that the team made history, advancing further than ever before.
“It was the first time ever in program history we won bi-districts and went to the area game,” Cardinale said. “[We] played a powerhouse in the area game. I was hoping that would go differently. But it is what it is. We’ve never gotten that close to being district champs, and so there were a lot of successes this season.”
The boys varsity coach, Emmanuel Gonzalez, says that their success this year was a pleasant surprise. Although understanding that they would have some form of success, he didn’t anticipate that the team would go undefeated.
“We lost a lot of the seniors last season,” Gonzalez said. “But I knew that we were going to do well, just not go undefeated again.”
Several factors contributed to the team’s success and prolific run. However, Gonzalez attributes the undefeated season to the work that they put into the season practices.
“We were consistent with practice, even on rainy days we had an alternative plan,” Gonzalez said. “I think that is what led to our success this season.”
The consistent practice schedule is also true for the girls soccer team. Senior Megan McIntosh, the girls varsity captain and all-district Most Valuable Player (MVP) gave some context for their practice schedule.
“We have school practices every day that we don’t have games during the week,” McIntosh said. “Usually we have games Tuesday, Friday, sometimes it switches to Wednesday, Saturday, and then we’d have practices the rest [of the week] from about 4-6 p.m.”
According to McIntosh, the girls soccer team had many goals for the season, such as ending district play in the top three and making district playoffs. For McIntosh, the drive to achieve all of these goals would inevitably greatly help the team make it to the top.
“This year we really did want to double down, try and get those successes, reach those goals,” McIntosh said. “I don’t think it was a surprise per se, being able to do so well in district, and do well in playoffs as well.”
To prepare for next season, the girls soccer program is considering having a girls soccer class that students can take as one of their school day periods. Because of the University Scholastic League (UIL) district reshuffle, their district opponents for the upcoming season have changed, making this soccer class potentially crucial to future LASA girls soccer.
“Our district is getting harder next year, ” Cardinale said. “We’re going to drop a lot of the schools that are considered easy wins and they’re gonna go down to 4A and we’re replacing them with very hard schools. Saving that momentum in the fall and having that camaraderie, again just chemistry building, is going to make a world of difference in how competitive we can be moving forward.”
