The sunset spills onto the field during the very last moments of the game. The ball sits on the fading white line in the corner of the pitch while the numbers on the board display one extra minute of play time; the score is tied, and this is the final possession. Suddenly, the whistle blows, and the ball is thrust in the air. As it arcs down, Mariana Gomez sets her stance. She jumps, colliding her head with the ball, gunning it through the goal one last time. The scoreboard flashes, adding another point for Poly and yet another accolade for Gomez.
With her positive attitude throughout the season, Gomez has served as a role model for several players on the team. Sophomore center back Karina Kim reflected, “Mariana brings energy that motivates the whole team. Her pep talks during halftime make everyone play better. She’s an incredible player and an integral part of the Poly soccer program, so losing her next year will be hard for all of us. She’s such a leader and a big sister to every player.”
Reflecting on the team’s 1-4 loss in round one of CIF playoffs against San Jacinto High School, Gomez highlighted the positive takeaways despite the season’s unfortunate conclusion: “While our loss to San Jacinto was difficult and not the ending we wanted, it doesn’t take away from everything we accomplished. That game especially showed how much heart and fight this team has, and it made me even prouder to be part of such a committed and resilient group of players.”
With Gomez’s help, the team had a uniquely successful season this year, going 12-5-1. “This season has been incredibly special for our team. We placed second in the league, beat Mayfield, and most importantly, made it to CIF for the first time in six years, which made this a historic season for Poly girls soccer,” shared Gomez.
Head coach Heidi Strauss highlighted her appreciation for Gomez’s contributions to this notable season: “She is a two time league MVP, and she won when the team placed 4th in league.”
“Mariana could have ‘big timed’ us, with an early commitment to college and being named to the US National Team Player Pool, but she never did. She chose to pour herself into our program because we mattered to her, [and] that says a lot about her character,” Strauss added.
With Gomez moving on to collegiate soccer next fall, she wanted to take time to share her gratitude for the people and programs that contributed to her high school soccer experience. She explained, “Looking beyond Poly, I am going to continue playing soccer and carry with me everything that Coach Heidi and Coach Jamie as well as my teammates have taught me. What I’ve gained from this program will stay with me as I move into college soccer and future opportunities.”
Gomez’s raw talent will help her accrue even more accolades as she continues to play soccer, and the Poly community cannot wait to cheer her on.
