Schools
The A-Team (A stands for agression)
Lighthouse Christian Academy lost its last soccer game Wednesday in a season of reviving its team
By Michael Ashcraft --
Zion Jenkins is not a soccer player. He's a football player.
But the Lighthouse Christian Academy sophomore was called upon to lead his team as defending midfielder -- and he stood out. He shut down more experienced opponents and set up LCA's only goal.
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"I used that football mentality to keep going, used my aggressiveness to go after every ball and not give up," Zion said.
Zion wasn't the only one to toughen up on the field. So did Lexi Hess. The petite senior learned to not be afraid and get in the wrangle for the ball. "Our girls were great, they were all up for the challenge," said Coach Hosea Ashcraft.
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Christian Boatwright blasted off to beat the offsides trap and score LCA's sole goal in the first half. "We did well this season given the resources we had," he commented.
What were the resources? A lot of first-timers. No trajectory in the sport after four years of dissolving the LCA's team. A first-time coach.
"It was a great season," said Coach Hosea Ashcraft. "We went from losing our first game 14-0 to being able to contend against some of the top teams in the league. We were really able to hold them at bay and put them in a hot spot. I could tell by their faces they were feeling threatened by our team, and that was really exciting to watch."
The Saints were in the game Wednesday against Glendale Adventist Academy for the first half, down 1-3. But in the second half, LCA's midfielders seemed out of gas and the team hemmorhaged goals, ending 1-10.
Lighthouse won only one game this season.
"We started not having enough kids to want to play," Coach Hosea said. "By the end of the season, I was very impressed by how much each and every kid improved -- even the kids who weren't able to start at the beginning of the season. At the end, they were playing amazing. I'm super happy."
A new trajectory has started.
About this writer: Michael Ashcraft teaches at the Lighthouse Christian Academy of Santa Monica. His son is Coach Hosea.
