This definitely is not what we all expected for how our 2020 season was going to turn out. Still, some of the things that keep us going, for us coaches, is the memories and character of this team — ranging from Sophie and Tatum’s hilarious interactions, to Eva’s insane goals and constant streak of falling on the pitch, to Mak’s confidence and over the top personality.

We hope it is those things, as well as many other memories, that keep you going during this tough time. Now, more than ever, we encourage you to stay connected, with family and with friends, because as this team surely knows, we can’t get through any challenge, without each other.

With that said, to returning players next season, to our outgoing charismatic senior class, please stay safe, stay healthy and always find time to enjoy life.

All the best,

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé girls soccer coaches Matt Dusenberry, Jo Quigg and Phil Subeldia.

Sidra Gregoire: This is Sidra’s second year with JDHS, having played the wing, wingback, and center back positions for JV last season. Off the pitch, she has a chill, laid back personality. On the pitch, it’s a different story, becoming vocal, fierce and displaying smoldering intensity. Those are just a few of the characteristics that we miss about Sidra in this shortened season. We wish Sidra nothing but the best as she attends Northern Arizona University Honors College in Flagstaff, Arizona, and dives into world of exploratory studies, otherwise known as undecided.

Rayna Paguio: This is Rayna’s fourth year with JDHS, having played at the center back position and getting some time at the 6 for varsity. Although Rayna is simply a consistent force on the backline, she has shown stunning glimpses when pressed into an offensive position. She knows when to be patient, when to tackle and once she gains possession, she simply displays smooth touches on the ball, easily passing opposing defenders and pushing it up the field effortlessly. We wish Rayna all the best attending Gonzaga University, majoring in nursing, eventually leading to becoming a physician assistant.

Asianna Mazon: This is Asianna’s fourth year with JDHS, primarily playing striker, and seeing time at the wing as well for varsity. The “A’s” in Asianna may stand for “an amazing athlete” as she has shown pure talent in the world of jump roping, softball and soccer. This is quite a juggling of schedules she had to manage to do all of these activities. Known more to us in the world of soccer, we will miss Asianna’s determination, high energy, endurance and speed. We wish Asianna all the best as she plans to attend college in Washington or Oregon.

Eva Goering: This is Eva’s fourth year with JDHS, either playing the 10 or the 9 early on for JV or the 9 later for varsity. Eva was simply a force to be reckoned with up front, using a dangerous combination of strength, speed, hustle, and unmatched determination to score countless goals for the team. We will miss, not only these skills from Eva, but her continued streak of falling down at least once during a game, and how she always finds ways to stress out Matt on the sidelines. We wish Eva all the best as she moves on to North Idaho college to continue playing the game of soccer.

Riley Crocker: This is Riley’s third year with JDHS, playing numerous positions for JV, such as the 6, the 10, and the 9. Riley was simply a driving force on the field, always willing to take on any challenge, while showing little, to no intimidation, when tackling the opposition or going for 50-50 balls. We will miss Riley’s hustle, toughness, and her constant reminder to Phil that there should be no more 8 minute subs. We wish Riley all the best as she heads to Gonzaga University to study human physiology.

Becca Dimond: This is Becca’s fourth year with JDHS, having played numerous positions for JV, such as the backline, attacking mid, winger, and forward. Becca simply loved to play, loved her teammates, wanted to learn, and simply wanted that one goal scoring chance. She achieved that last season, in April, scoring against Ketchikan, with her teammates cheering for her. We will miss Becca’s determination, her drive to succeed, and her loving and hilarious interactions with her teammates. We wish Becca all the best in attending Honolulu Community College pursuing a business degree with the dream of running a business one day.

Jemma Ruiz: This is Jemma’s third season with JDHS, having primarily played wingback for JV. Though it may seem Jemma is one of the quietest players on the team, if you ever get the chance to hang out with her one on one, or in a small group with close friends/teammates, she is quite outspoken and hilari-us, and really doesn’t take guff from anyone, as evident from her play on the pitch. Jemma played hard, gave her all, was never one to give up — what more can you simply ask from a player? We will miss her outstanding effort on the pitch, her quiet outspokenness, and outlandish comments while being part of Phil’s shaky Anchorage van rides. We wish Jemna all the best with her plan to go to college and become a dental hygienist.

Makenna Graham: This is Mak’s third year with JDHS, playing her freshman year with Thunder Mountain High School, yet her sophomore, junior and senior years with JDHS. There honestly aren’t enough words in a senior bio to describe Mak, but we shall try. Flamboyant, charismatic confident … Gucci … yes … one could argue Mak is all these things, but us coaches would say she is a very cerebral player, constantly looking for ways to improve, to be the very best player she can be, day in and day out. We will miss her consistent defensive plays at the 6, smooth touches on the ball from defense to offense, being a vocal leader in the backline, but most of all, giving Matt a lot of crap on and off the field, especially while riding shot gun with Matt on van rides. We wish Mak all the best attending North Idaho College, majoring in behavioral analysis with a minor in criminal justice, while playing collegiate soccer for the Cardinals.

• This piece was submitted by JDHS girls soccer coach Matt Dusenberry.