This year, the Arbor View girls’ soccer team had the best season in the school’s history, despite a disappointing conclusion. After not only winning, but shutting out their opponents in the vast majority of their season matches, they were able to make it through the play-offs and secure a spot in the finals match of the 4A Sunset Region tournament and were definite contenders for state champions.
Unfortunately, a controversy regarding Shadow Ridge’s use of an ineligible player caused the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) to restart the tournament/ play-offs from the quarterfinals. Because Shadow Ridge would have to forfeit some of their regular season games due to the fact that an ineligible player was played, the seeding for the tournament was changed and the brackets were reshuffled.
Essentially, everything had to be restarted. Teams previously eliminated, such as Centennial, Bishop Gorman, and Durango, got a second chance at becoming region or state champions.
Once the playoffs were kicked off for the second time, Arbor View beat Durango 5-0, but lost to Bishop Gorman in the semifinals, putting an unfortunate end to a spectacular season. The Aggies accepted the loss with grace, but there is still some frustration toward the NIAA.
“I think it was a great season. We positioned ourselves to do well,” said Arbor View’s head soccer coach, Coach Howard. “The NIAA punished the wrong people.”
Due to legal reasons, the NIAA refused an interview. However, on March 3, 2009, Eddie Bonine, the executive director of the NIAA, sent a letter to media outlets regarding the tournament situation. In this letter, Bonine stated, “I will be the first to admit when I or my staff has erred, but in this case, the NIAA is not at fault.” He also claimed, “It is also important to make something perfectly clear: the NIAA office staff… had nothing to with the… situation with Girls’ Soccer other than attempting to correct the tournament schedule… The Clark County athletic department was the lead investigator in the case because it involves two CCSD schools.”
Throughout the whole controversy, even after the letter was published, many parents and students were still disgruntled with the way this situation was handled. Parents and students made constant suggestions to simply restart Shadow Ridge’s tournament games, which would have left Arbor View with a spot in the finals match.
However disappointing the end of the season may have been, some of the girls feel it was a good learning experience. “I think it ended kind of rough. It was challenging, but we grew up as a team,” said senior Ashlea Andrade.
Unfortunately for the team, their spot in the tournament championship was lost, as was their chance at becoming state champions. “We dealt with it positively,” said Andrade. Both Andrade and senior Erica Peeples will be moving on to play in college, even without the full recognition they feel they deserve.
Despite losing these valuable players, Coach Howard is confident that the team will continue to improve next year. “We’re losing four seniors that are very important to the team, but we have eight returning players, and we should be very strong next year.” The girls’ soccer team has improved every year since the school opened in 2005 and the Arbor View teachers, coaches, and students are confident that these incredible athletes will continue that trend.