By Kyle LoJacono
Staff Writer
During each season, any team has to learn from its losses to become stronger — any team except the Dr. John Long Middle School girls soccer team.
The Longhorns just completed their third straight undefeated season after defeating Tomas E. Weightman Middle School 3-0. It was John Long’s 26th straight victory.
“We are a very well rounded team this year,” said Erin Dodd, John Long coach and sixth-grade teacher. “I saw them work from the first day of practice to the last game and it’s been great to see how much better they’ve gotten…You can only do so much from the sidelines, so I got to see the players step up and become leaders in their own ways.”
In those 26 wins, the Longhorns outscored their opponents 94-4. They allowed only one goal this season, which came in a 2-1 win over Pine View Middle School.
“That was the game I remember the most because we really came together as a team,” said midfielder and forward Grace Olsen. “I really liked playing in those close games. During close games our coach would tell us what we were doing wrong during halftime and we always stepped up and played better in the second half.”
Olsen led the team with five goals and added two assists.
“I really liked those close games too,” said forward Lauren Luzzi. “We would always pull those games out in the end.”
Luzzi had a team-best eight assists and had one goal.
One of the leaders of that Longhorns defense was seventh-grader Karissa Leist.
“It was good to keep the winning streak going,” Leist said. “I saw the streak last year when I was a manager on the team and I’d like to continue it next year.”
Leist was a manager last year because sixth-grade students cannot participate in soccer. Managers can help with equipment, bring players water and help things run smoothly.
“I love the feeling after winning each game,” Leist said. “Close games are great because it’s nice to show people that we can step up and win, but it is less stressful in the games that aren’t that close.”
Behind the defense all year was goalkeeper Amanda Melosky.
“I just wanted to never let the ball in the net and let down my teammates,” Melosky said. “I just didn’t want to end the winning streak.”
The only goal Melosky allowed was on a corner kick against Pine View after making a couple of saves.
“I redeemed myself though at the end of the game,” Melosky said. “With basically no time left I had to make a save on a girl who had a clear shot. I did and the game was over.”
Melosky said she became a goalkeeper after breaking her foot when she was younger. She wanted to get back on the field quicker, so she decided to play between the pipes because she did not have to run as much.
“Now I love it and I wouldn’t go back to playing out,” Melosky said.
It is much easier for offensive players to attack when they trust their goalkeeper.
“She’s got all of our backs,” said midfielder and forward Gabrielle Bierhorst. “It was great to go undefeated because it felt like we achieved our goals. We all wanted to push forward and do our best and I think we did that.”
John Long last lost to Pasco Middle School 1-0 in the last game of the 2007 season.
“We finished that first season 4-3-3, so we still had a winning year,” Dodd said.
Dodd has been the only girls soccer coach at the school. She attended Zephyrhills High School and the University of Memphis, where she played midfielder and striker respectively.
One might think a team that has not lost in more than three years would be focused at all times, but that is not the case.
“I really remember the funny moments that happen in the close games,” said defender Catharina Chipman. “It’s those things that happen where we all just stop and laugh even though we’re playing a game. One time I went to do a throw in and the ball just slipped out of my hand. We all laughed about that.”
The tense and lighthearted moments helped shape the Longhorns.
“We took on a certain personality as a team,” Chipman said. “We knew we could win as long as we stayed calm and worked together.”
The season has created friendships that might not have happened without the team.
“I was happy to get to know the seventh graders and I know most of us will be playing together in high school,” Olsen said. “I love my teammates and playing soccer. When I’m having a bad day, I just think about playing soccer.”
