BY OLIVIA LEWIS
On Tuesday, January 10th the Cooper City Cowboys Soccer team faced off against the Nova Titans. It was the Cowboys’ senior night, making it a very important game for all of the seniors on the team. The Cowboys gave it their all and won the game 3-0.
The game started off slow for the Cowboys, but they gave no opportunities to the Titans. The Cowboys picked up the pace and started to move the ball around Nova’s defense. Junior Tomas Upegui dribbled the ball down the sideline and crossed it to freshman Jacob Martin who shot the ball into the net, making the score 1-0. The Cowboys held the Titans and didn’t let them pass into their half.
The Cowboys started off strong in the second quarter and didn’t let the Titans through their midfield. The Cowboys were pressuring the Titans’ defense extremely hard, and eventually succeeded. Senior Diego Mendoza was fouled inside the 18-yard box and received a penalty kick. He took a hard shot to the bottom right corner of the goal and made the score of the game 2-0.
At half time, the parents and grandparents of the seniors lined up and locked arms with them. Each senior was walked down and a few words were said for them. Their families stood with tears in their eyes, watching their seniors play for the last time at Cooper City High School. These seniors include Diego Mendoza, Alonso Mendoza, William Upegui, Chris Hanley, Miguel Gonzalez, Eric Yeckes, Lucas Cusnir, and Hector Medina.
“I just couldn’t believe that something that seemed so far away happened already,” Gonzalez said.
In the third quarter, both of the teams started off slow and the ball was going back and forth between teams. The Cowboys held their line, but were unable to take any shots on goal. The Titans had no opportunities on goal.
In the final twenty minutes of the game, the Cowboys let the Titans past their defensive line and they were able to score a goal, making the score 2-1. The Cowboys began to defend really well so that they could keep the Titans from scoring another goal. The Cowboys succeeded, and won the game 2-1, making a perfect end for the perfect night.
“Senior night is an unforgettable experience and it is hard to believe that it was the last time I would be playing on the field,” Cusnir said.
Final Score: Cooper City 2, Nova 1
