On Saturday, the Sacred Heart Lady Crusaders celebrated their third straight 1A/2A/3A State Championship, and the fifth title in school history. The feeling of raising the Golden Ball at the end of the soccer season could get repetitive.
That’s not the case, however.
“It never gets old,” sophomore Gabby Falla, who scored the equalizing goal in the second half, said. “I just can’t describe the feeling of this. (Saturday), it was fight or flight. That was our motto. We could either fight through it or fly off the track with nothing.”
The Lady Crusaders started preseason practice at the same time as every other team in the state, they played games and have to earn a spot in the playoffs, too. Each Sacred Heart team is different, but the consistent success has made the program feel like it’s riding a bike.
Once you learn what it takes to win a State Championship, the formula is there. It doesn’t hurt to have good leadership either.
“We worked so hard in the preseason,” Sacred Heart coach Joe “Papa” Falla said. “Once we get to district then playoffs, then things start changing. I change and I allow my team to change. I have the best leadership. Jessica Hyde and Mariana Moreno. With those girls, it’s possible to accomplish what we did.”
The emotions overwhelmed Papa during his postgame interview, too.
“It gets better and better and better,” he said. “Today, I feel like I’m 35 years old. I know I’m not. I feel like I’m six feet tall, but I know I’m not. That’s just how I’m feeling. It’s great. It’s super great to get three State Championships in a row. It’s never happened, and we’re not finished with it yet.”
He might be right. Sacred Heart is easily considered a dynasty now, and it could add to its legacy for the next couple of years. Moreno graduates from the roster, and the top five goal-scorers are all back next season. In fact, Sacred Heart will only lose one of those five players the year after that, so it’s feasible to believe the State Championship run could last a few more years.
Lauren Jones and Olivia Ware, who led the team with 18 goals as a freshman, are back for their sophomore seasons, Gracie Falla will only be a freshman next season, Gabby Falla will be a junior while Hyde will be one of four seniors in 2018-19. Blair Viator, Allie Bilbo and Shea Rutland are the other seniors who will be counted on to add another State Championship.
Adding more State Championships to the trophy case won’t diminish the excitement either.
“It never gets old,” Hyde said. “It’s always amazing. Like, I cry every time. There’s not a better feeling, really.”
Papa and the Lady ’Saders have the blueprint for a State Championship. In fact, they’ve perfected it. But, every year is new and they still have to go through the same growing pains.
“Every year is new,” Gabby Falla said. “There’s new talent, there are new people. We practice hard just like everybody else and we put in the work just like everybody, and as you can tell from today, that’s our end result.”
