“LIONS ON THREE, LIONS ON THREE, ONE, TWO, THREE, LIONS!!”

That is the chant the Olympic Heights girls varsity soccer team belts out before taking the field to face their opponent.

The OH girls soccer team, coming off a 0-0 tie in their season opener at Santaluces on Monday, Nov. 6, notched an impressive 6-0 win over Atlantic in the team’s 2017-18 home opener on Wednesday, Nov. 8. Danielle Smith had two goals and an assist in the win, while Haley Jacobowitz, Jaselyn Cappello, Skylar Deutch and Kaley Tanis each scored one goal.

Coming off last season’s record setting 18 wins and a trip to the district finals which ended in a 6-1 loss to rival West Boca, the girls soccer team starts this season with one goal in mind: win a district championship.

The Torch sat down with Head Coach Jim Cappello, who has been coaching high school soccer for 23 years and previously coached at the collegiate  level, and team captains Eva Giordano, Haley Jacobowitz and Jaselyn Cappello, as well as rookies Ava Trachtenberg, Kaley Tanis, and Jordan Lanson, to talk about the 2017-18 season.

TORCH: What do you plan to do differently this year than last year?

COACH JIM: Hopefully take the next step forward towards winning district championship. We took a step to make it into district finals [last season] and we were happy to be there, but this year we want to take it all.

TORCH: Are there any new players you are excited to see this season?

COACH JIM: I’m excited about all the freshmen. Not one in particular. All the new players coming in definitely are going to help us in so many different ways to improve where we were last year that them, collectively as a group, is what I’m most impressed with.

TORCH: What are your expectations this season?

COACH JIM: To do better than we did last season. Last season was great to make it into district finals, but we don’t want to just make it this year, we want to be something special.

TORCH: How do you think your leaderships will impact the team’s success?

EVA: I think my leadership will impact the team’s success because I’m very driven, and I like to see my team succeed, so I will do whatever I can to help my team get where they need to be.

HALEY: I think my leadership will impact the team’s success by helping bring everybody together, like the new people and the older people, and just merging our skills together to make one big better team.

JASELYN: Our leadership can help the team’s success by always being positive and to encourage the team so we can play to our highest potential.

TORCH: Do you think this team is an improvement from last year’s?

EVA: I definitely think this team is an improvement. We have a lot of new faces and I’m really excited for this season. Last year we were good, but this year we’ll definitely make an impact.

HALEY: I do think this team is an improvement from last year. We have a lot of new freshmen with a lot of new skills.

JASELYN: I definitely think this team is a huge improvement. We have a lot of new players that can improve with the skills that we didn’t have last year. Together we are going to be stronger and I think this is going to be a great season this year.

TORCH: Who are you looking forward to facing this season?

EVA: Definitely Fort Lauderdale, Somerset, West Boca, and Boyd Anderson because those are the game that we could’ve have done so much better. We had a lot of struggles. and I’m just excited to face them head on.

HALEY: I’m looking forward to facing Fort Lauderdale the most [chuckles].

JASELYN: This year I’m looking forward to facing Fort Lauderdale and West Boca because they were the harder teams we faced and had trouble playing against. I think this year we are much stronger and can actually beat them this year.

TORCH: It is your rookie season on varsity, tell us how you feel!

AVA: I feel excited to meet all the girls, and I think it’s going to be a great year [laughs].

KALEY: I feel excited because being a freshman on varsity is a big accomplishment, and I’m ready to play.

JORDAN: I feel really excited because since this is my first year on varsity, especially at high school, I’m eager to go out and play.

TORCH: What are some things you can bring to this team?

AVA: This year I would like to lead the back and help people with their positions.

KALEY: I think I can help by having a positive attitude and having high energy on the field.

JORDAN: Since I’m a left foot, I could just go up and make some crosses and help the team get some goals.

TORCH: What are your goals for this season?

AVA: This season I want to work on my skills and maybe dribble up and hopefully score a goal.

KALEY: My goals for this season are to prove that I belong with this team and work well with my teammates. I’m looking forward to my first year and more to come.

JORDAN: Just to have a good first season as a freshman and all the varsity team, and just finally be district champs.