Girl's+Soccer

= __ Girl's Soccer __ =

__Beginnings__
In 1995, about twenty years after the enactment of Title IX, Belleville West obtained its first girl’s soccer team. After a shaky start, the women’s soccer team has gained a new found respect over the past few years. Over the course of the years several coaches and players have helped to bring greatness to the team. Although young, the girl’s soccer team has already made a noticeable impact on Belleville West High School.

__History__ In 1995, after years of demand, Belleville West High School decided to set up its first girl’s soccer team. The first head coach of the girl’s team was Bill Houck. The girl’s team started off its existence with a winning tradition, going 6-5 in its first season. After that, Houck did not achieve another winning season. In 2001, Coach Bill Houck decided to step down as head coach and hand over the reins to current coach, Jason M athenia. In Bill Houck’s short career as head coach, he compiled an overall record of 34- 53. In his career, Houck had one winning season and a season high of 7 wins. The beginning of Coach Mathenia’s career was not perfect, either. In his first season, Mathenia compiled a losing record of 10-12-1 but did manage to obtain the girl’s first double digit win season. In 2003, Coach Mathenia achieved the first winning season of his own, compiling a 12-10-2 record. In 2006, the girl’s team achieved another first, winning their first ever regional championship, ending with an overall record of 19-5-1. The girl’s team would go on to win four straight regional championships, eventually ending the streak in 2010. Currently the girl’s team sits with an overall record of 157-145-15. The team also has four regional championships, and has yet to win a tournament.

__Players__ In the fourteen year history of Belleville West Girl’s soccer, there have been several great players to grace the soccer field. In the team’s fourteen year his tory Kelli Segobiano and Lauren Deppe have achieved All- State honors in 2009 and 2006. Neither of these players chose to take their skills to college. In the team’s history there have been eleven different All- Sectional players, and the team has been honored with an All- Sectional selection on fourteen different occasions. Nine people have achieved All- Southwestern Conference 1st team honors, and on thirteen different occasions a player has been honored with the award. In the Bi- State Tournament, several different players have been honored with a selection to the All- Tournament Team. In 2006, Cara Mauldin was given the MVP of the Tournament, becoming the first, and only, player in Belleville West Girl’s soccer history to win an MVP in a tournament. In just fourteen short years a large set of players has been able to make an everlasting impact on the history of Belleville West Girl’s soccer that has been, and forever will be, appreciated by the many people involved with Belleville West.

__Historic Win and Team__ On April 5th of 2007, Belleville West managed to win its 100th victory. In a close battle with Althoff, star goalkeeper Sarah Luecking was able to prevent Althoff from scoring a goal, and in the late minutes of the first half Kelli Segobiano scored on a penalty kick, giving the Lady Maroons a lead that would hold for the rest of the game. During that season, the Lady Maroons happened to have on e of the most dominating seasons in their history. The team had their longest winning streak of seven, and an even longer unbeaten streak of sixteen. Sarah Luecking broke the record for fewest goals allowed in a season, with just fifteen, and the lowest goals against per game average, of .72. In that season, the girls were able to put six of their eleven starters on one of the three All- Southwestern Conference teams, which still stands as the school record. Four of the starters were able to land themselves on the All- Sectional team, which is also still a record. The team ended the season with a 15-4-4 record.

When the Lady Maroons began, women’s soccer was so unknown that the team was only able to manage to schedule eleven games. Now girl’s soccer is a legitamate state wide sport, and the West girls have been able to remain a constant power house in the state of Illinois. Although the team has never won a state title, the team has been one of the most consistent sports teams in the Belleville West system, not having a losing season in almost six years. The Belleville West Girl’s soccer team is one of the few teams that remain as a pride of West, and have shown that the sport is here to stay. This page was completed by Hal Abel and Brad Sedlak.