Mayfield’s final push

Mayfield's girls soccer team has six four-year varsity seniors, a freshman in the starting lineup and a chance to make its final weeks of the season count. 

Brisa Quintana, Nicole Garza, Callie Pacini, Juliette Moreno, Janelle Gutierrez and Brooklynn Maez have spent much of their high school careers playing together, giving the Lady Trojans an experienced foundation as they approach the Class 5A state tournament. At 11-5-1, coming off a 4-1 victory at Centennial, their influence has also extended to younger teammates who are already contributing and learning what will be expected of them when the seniors graduate. 

Assistant coach Archie Morales has watched that development firsthand. The six players are the first graduating class he has worked with throughout their time at Mayfield, and he said their maturity has become evident in how they respond to adversity, accept coaching and handle the responsibilities that come with experience. 

For freshman Genesis Flores, joining that group meant adjusting quickly to varsity competition. The outside defender earned a starting role after impressing the coaching staff during preseason play, bringing an aggressive approach that Morales said has challenged returning players to raise their own level. 

“At first I was scared, but I feel like once I started getting to them more, they were very open and very nice,” Flores said. 

That willingness to include younger players has been important to Maez.  

“Being a senior means being a leader, no matter if you have a captain badge or not,” Maez said. “I just try to welcome the girls and make them feel like they have a person to talk to because I know my freshman year, I didn't feel that way.” 

Head coach Dean Thatcher said those relationships have helped the Lady Trojans develop a strong sense of unity. Players from different grade levels interact regularly outside soccer, and he has seen the veterans encourage younger teammates during practices and games rather than treating them as outsiders. 

“They're challenging each other. They're mentoring the younger ones,” Thatcher said. 

The experience throughout Mayfield's lineup has also given the younger players different examples to follow. Garza has been a leading offensive contributor, while Pacini and Gutierrez have provided defensive experience, and Moreno has helped anchor the midfield. Quintana, who also competes in softball, has brought a competitive approach shaped by the demands of playing multiple sports. 

Junior Ciara Nieto has contributed offensively as well, giving the Lady Trojans another option alongside the veterans. For Garza, the relationship has brought a change in perspective. She remembers looking toward older players when she entered the program and now recognizes that younger teammates are watching how she prepares and competes. 

“I feel like one of those girls that I looked up to,” Garza said. 

The seniors' connection has developed through four seasons that began with players arriving from different schools, many of them unfamiliar with one another. Quintana said the group gradually became closer as its members learned to work together, while Maez credits their ability to talk through disagreements and understand different perspectives. 

That familiarity has become especially meaningful as graduation approaches. Pacini said the group has spent more time together outside soccer this year, building friendships through shared meals and activities after games. Those experiences have helped the players appreciate their remaining time together without losing sight of the competition ahead. 

The seniors still have opportunities to influence how their final season ends. Mayfield's remaining schedule includes district opponents and a non-district trip to St. Pius X before the state tournament begins Oct. 28, leaving the Lady Trojans with little time to improve their postseason position. 

Quintana said her competitive approach began with advice from her father, who encouraged her to play to win. She has tried to pass that attitude to younger teammates while reminding them that enjoying the sport and working toward larger goals can go together. 

For Thatcher, the long-term challenge is maintaining the work ethic and relationships that have helped the current team. He wants younger players to recognize the preparation behind the seniors' abilities and continue building a program that future athletes will want to join. 

Flores has already taken one lesson from the experience: She wants future newcomers to receive the same welcome she received. Maez hopes that example lasts beyond the seniors' final game, regardless of how far Mayfield advances. 

“I really hope they remember what kind of people we are,” Maez said.