Fueled by an unbreakable connection, the Patriots girls soccer team’s camaraderie on and off the field became the cornerstone of their triumphs, leading the team to their first-ever Central Invite title.

“Those girls were so excited,” Mosser said. “We had lost to Bellevue West a week earlier and they ended up winning 11 games this year, but we ran through them 4-1. Then to play Central at Central, it was the first time we have ever won it. I think that feeling they experienced, they wanted to experience it again and again.”

“It was just so much fun to be around each other,” senior Alece Hershey said. “We never wanted it to end. We fought every game, every second we played for each other.”

The team ended the season with 10 wins and 7 losses, including a 1-0 win over Central at home to send the team to their first district final since before COVID.

“This season was really special,” senior Dru Henry said. “My favorite thing had just been the culture and positivity we have. Because we had that connection, it really elevated our play.”

That connection the girls shared was both on and off the field, pushing the team into the postseason.

“I think our connection with each other was really strong,” head coach Shon Mosser said. “Our seniors truly showed how much they love each player and went above and beyond and connected with them. I think when you are a younger player and you truly know that the upperclassmen care about you and you become friends, you want to do well for them. We had that this year.”

“The girls really gave me a lot of confidence to start this year,” freshman Jaiah Arthur said. “It was really easy to bond with them, and it really helped us play better as a team.”

With the bond spanning across all four classes, the culture built this year will continue on, building a foundation for success to come.

“The girls make fun of me because I am such a culture guy,” Mosser said, “but I just don’t know if our season would have turned out the way it did without a strong culture. I look at all the teams we faced that had girls signed D1 and our girls found a way to win or compete with them. I just don’t think that happens without a strong culture.”