![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
After the womens soccer team won their second-round playoff game on Oct. 31, it was announced that Bernice Wayland, senior, was the Three Rivers League (TRL) Player of the Year.
“After our Tuesday game against [Forest Grove], my coach came up to me and told me [that I won the award], and I [started] crying,” Wayland said.
Wayland has been on the varsity team for three years and plays center defender.
“Soccer is sort of the structure of my life,” Wayland said. “It’s the main thing and I kind of base my lifestyle around it. It means a lot to me.”
As a senior and captain on the team this year, Wayland had to step into a different leadership role.
“Last year we had really good senior leaders and captains, and I wanted to be seen as a leader and a captain on the field, so organizing people and being loud was really something I tried to focus on a lot,” Wayland said.
To Wayland, winning this award was a surprise.
“I never even thought of myself being considered for this position, so it’s an amazing surprise, but it was my goal to be a first-team all-league defender,” Wayland said. “Winning this award was amazing, and [I’m] very blessed. I honestly couldn’t have done without any of my teammates and I just feel like everyone worked so well together this year and they set me up well for this. It means a lot. It validates the hard work I put in, and that our team puts in, and coming to practice every day. Everything is paying off and getting better every year.”
Although the award has already been given to a player, the season continues to progress, with the team currently playing in the playoffs.
“I think if we make it past Jesuit we have a good chance of winning state this year, and I think just continuing to grow as a program because as Madison [Gellos] became our coach, we kind of just kick-started a whole thing and we’re all working for each other and growing as a program,” Wayland said.
On Nov. 4, Wayland and the rest of the soccer team beat Jesuit 1—0 and advanced to the state semifinals, where they will play Cleveland.
After she graduates, Wayland will play Division One (D1) soccer in Virginia for Longwood University, and is signing on Nov. 9.
