In the most competitive girls' soccer league in the North Coast Section, changing one's status and fortune can be difficult, especially when faced with years of struggle.
So it's fair to say that very few people outside the Livermore High School soccer program saw this season coming. But with five games remaining on the East Bay Athletic League schedule, the Cowboys find themselves with a 10-5-1 overall record, and solidly in third place in the league standings after Tuesday night's 2-1 win over perennial stalwart San Ramon Valley.
"It's pretty unbelievable when you look at the history of the program," said Livermore coach Bob Montano. "It's been a long while for this program, but these kids have done all the work necessary to get to this point."
The recent history of the Livermore program does not include a winning season anytime in the last decade, and prior to this season, seven wins was the most the team had accomplished anytime during that stretch. But the 2016 edition has blown past that mark, and is on a five-game winning streak heading into Thursday's contest with unbeaten Carondelet.
"We worked on developing the concept of ways we would be successful," Montano said, referring to pre-season meetings with the players. "The mantra became 'Why not us?' We knew we had the talent, and the kids have bought into that concept this season."
Among those players who have spurred this year's success is sophomore center-forward Lexi Romero, who leads the team with 12 goals and three assists. And with just three seniors on the roster, Romero is part of a talented underclass which aims to have Livermore positioned for both present and future success.
"(Lexi) is a very skilled player, extremely driven, and a tireless worker," Montano said. "I have a hard time remembering the last time I saw someone who enjoys playing the game so much."
Romero's enjoyment of the game was evident in the win over San Ramon Valley. She scored the equalizer in the second half on a third effort at the goal, and celebrated joyously. Senior Tori Nicolo then scored the game-winning goal, as Livermore secured a win and a draw in the two match-ups with a Wolves' program that has celebrated five section titles in the last decade.
"It's been great to see them succeed, and I am extremely proud of them," said Montano, now in his third year at the helm. "At the same time, we now have expectations and goals in front of us. We had that talk after the Dougherty Valley game (a 3-2 win last week). Now the challenge in front of them is how they want to finish the season."
Montano credits a group of returning juniors and seniors from last season for stepping up as leaders this year, and getting the talent on the team to play together. Though limited in numbers, the three seniors have been integral to the program's success, a group that includes the team captain Nicolo, along with Shasta Grant and Alyssa Oki.
Junior Makenzie Farro has been another key piece, having scored five goals with three assists this season, as has junior center-midfielder Marley Walke, who Montano not only described as "intelligent and a great decision maker", but also takes the bulk of the Cowboys' corner kicks.
"(Marley) has really stepped up this season, and is an extension of our coaching staff on the field," Montano said. "She is vocal with her teammates and is a great pass distributor."
Of course, regardless of how much offense a team can generate, it certainly helps to have a keeper who can stop the ball from entering the net, and Livermore has certainly benefited from the play of junior Ashley Morton.
"Ashley is an exceptional keeper, knows when to come off the line, and knows how to make the goal smaller behind her," Montano said. "She's an overall natural athlete, and deserves a lot of credit for being a field general, knowing how to defend break-aways, and identifying open marks."
Morton has allowed fewer than one goal per game on average, and has registered more than 40 saves for the season.
Having reached a place that is unchartered territory in the recent history of the program, Livermore must now handle success, and the fact that it has become eligible for the post-season, something that could easily set off small celebrations around the campus. But Montano is not worried about the focus of a team that appears driven to achieve more than anyone else thought possible.
"I was really happy and impressed that we weren't satisfied with the draw against San Ramon Valley the first we played them," Montano said. "The girls were motivated to achieve a better result in the second match."
League races tight heading into final weeks . . . With less than three weeks remaining in the regular season, a number of league races seem destined to be decided in the final days. Especially close are the title races in the Diablo Foothill and Diablo Valley leagues, where Clayton Valley and Acalanes each hold a half-game lead.
Clayton Valley currently holds a one-point lead over College Park. The two teams meet in the regular-season finale on February 11. Acalanes holds the same advantage over Las Lomas, with the teams scheduled to meet on February 3. In both cases, the teams battling for the spot battled to scoreless draws in the first meeting.
Over in the Mission Valley, meanwhile, James Logan opened up a three-point lead over Washington with yesterday's 3-1 win. The Huskies are the Colts closest pursuer.
None of them, however, are quite the mess that the WACC-Foothill division currently faces. Piedmont, Bishop ODowd, and Castro Valley are currently tied for the league lead at 4-1 in division play.
Stingy play in Walnut Creek . . . For teams looking to hand Las Lomas its first loss of the season, good defense is a must. The Knights have yet to allow more than one goal in a match this season, and have posted shutouts in half of their 14 contests.
Junior keeper Victoria Scalfaro has allowed just three goals the entire season. Meanwhile, a young duo has powered the Las Lomas attack. Junior Haley Brown leads the team with 13 goals, while sophomore Sophia Runte has 11 goals.
