The Cincinnatus girls soccer team is just two wins away from a Class D state title for the second year in a row and the Lions feel they are ready to make the leap and become state champions.
The last leg of that quest begins at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Homer High School against Section II champion Fort Ann (13-4-2). The winner will take on the winner of Section V champion Fillmore (20-0) and Section X champion Lisbon (19-1) at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at Homer High School.
The girls on last year’s team were part of a 3-1 loss to Mount Academy in the Class D state championship game and now know what it takes to win the final two games of the year. They’re ready to go and take on the challenge.
“I really hope that this is our year,” junior Ava Larrabee said. “We want redemption from last year. We made it so close and we want to make history again.”
Cincinnatus head coach Lisa Sustad knows that whoever they play at this point will be stiff competition and is less focused on the opponent and more focused on making sure her girls are at peak of their powers.
“That’s definitely our focus, to make sure they’re playing the best they can,” Sustad said. “We just want to keep them mentally and physically in the best frame of mind, so that’s been our focus.”
Cincinnatus has “home-field advantage” this weekend, with the games being a half hour from its home field. The girls are happy about that and feel that can give them an additional leg up on the competition.
“We get to sleep in our own bed, get together before games, it’s a quick bus ride, get to the fields early to stretch out,” junior Cassia Schuyler said. “It’s definitely an advantage.”
“It also helps that we’re close to home so we have the support from our community,” senior Peyton Stith added.
That community support has been there all season, but Cincinnatus goes the extra mile for postseason soccer. The stands have been packed with red all postseason and the girls are very grateful they have that extra push from the people they know best.
“They keep us going,” Schuyler said. “I think we would all say the fans are the reason we do play. The keep us going and never lose faith. The Copenhagen game they were crazy and prolly had more faith than some of the girls on the field.”
With the experience and proximity to home, the Lions are loose, relaxed and confident heading into this weekend.
“I think for this team, this is really good for them and I like to see them like this and not overthinking it,” Sustad said. “I know as soon as that whistle blows they’re going to change gears.”
Stith and Emma Finch, two of Cincinnatus’ three seniors alongside Jamber Aiken, are happy this will be how their high school careers end. Whether it’s in a win or loss, both girls would be pleased with their careers, but ending on a win would be that much sweeter.
“At this point in my career I can’t be anything but happy,” Stith said. “We went to states two years in a row. Whatever we do, whether we win or lose tomorrow (Saturday) or we win or lose Sunday, I’m just happy we get to experience it.”
“It’ll be my dream, no joke,” Finch added.
