Maryam Victor

Senior, Samantha Barnes with her little sister and her mom. The feelings “…indescribable…” as she walked down the field lined with the friends she’s made over the past few years. Sam said, “leaving soccer behind is sad but I will always remember the sport I had fallen in love with.”

The Lady Seahawks have had a great season so far. They are yet to lose a game and are climbing to the top. Their goal is to win the state championship. senior night was on December 21st against Mitchell high school. The Sunlake ladies soared through a successful game ending the night with a 2-1 win!

Senior Samantha Barnes played goalie that night. In the moment Sam didn’t think too much about this being her last home game on the Sunlake field. However, afterwards “…it hit me and I was left with bittersweet feelings.” She was sad that this was the end yet she was excited for the new adventures ahead of her. She said, “the game was stressful. The team we played was very good and due to it being senior night we all really wanted to win.” At the end of the night them being victorious made them feel “…fantastic!” The most special part of the game was half time as the seniors walked out with their parents and got to soak in their last home game. When asked how it felt to walk down the field, she answered, “…walking down was indescribable. Listening to my parents message, receiving flowers from one of my friends on the team, and hugging the coaches truly made everything real. High school soccer was ending but it would always have a place close to my heart.” Her little sister and her mom walked her down the field. She would have loved to have her dad there unfortunately, he was out of town, but he still managed to call her after the game to ask her all about it.

Sam has been playing soccer for 8 years now. Her motivation is “…the excitement and nervous buzz I get every time I step onto the field. I love it!”  The thing she loves most about soccer is ” …you’re never sure what will happen when you step on the field but you’re ready to give it your all. Not only that but you are part of something bigger than yourself: a family.” Her favorite thing about playing with the Sunlake girls is the friends she has made throughout her experience and the traditional spaghetti dinners! She is super excited to get out of high school and start her new chapter in college life. So far, she has gotten offers from LSU, UCF, University of Montana, and Appalachian State University. She is still awaiting responses from her top two schools: University of Colorado Boulder and University of Michigan. Her final message to the team is “…give everything your all no matter what! Despite the challenges life brings, stay strong and true to yourself. I love you all and will miss you so much!”