Winning against one of your school’s greatest rivals is a triumph, but what about winning on a special night like this? West Lauderdale took on their greatest foe, Choctaw Central, on the 11th of January at their home field.
At West Lauderdale High School, it is a tradition to have a farewell celebration for the students who put so much time and effort into a particular sport or extracurricular activity. The Knights Soccer teams are no exception as they kicked off their final home games of their 2023-2024 season by celebrating their seniors.
Before the gratifying celebration, the Lady Knights kicked off their game by gaining 2 points in the first half. Maddie Kate Bunyard (#38), awarded the Knights their first goal of the night with a little more than 15 minutes left in the game. In an extraordinary turn of events, seventh-grader Harleigh Culpepper (#23) raced against an older foe battling for the ball to strike it into the net with 3 minutes left in the first half. Culpepper, being one of the youngest on the field, sent the stands as well as her fellow teammates into a frenzy of cheers. As the second half began, Choctaw was able to gain two points within minutes of each other, tying up the game.
With the Knight’s hearts racing, Aubri Cooper (#15) was able to get a free kick over the heads of her opponents, earning the final point of the game, with West winning 3-2 against Choctaw.
Wins for the West Lauderdale Knights didn’t stop at your Lady Knights. The boys’ team defeated the visiting Choctaw Central Warriors with a vanquishing score of 12-0. Certain to leave their mark, the seniors played their last game on the home field with the most points scored in a game for the 2023-2024 season.
Though it was Senior Night for the West Knights, the younger generation stepped up ready for the challenge as the torch was passed. Fingers crossed that the wins will roll over into the coming years as we say goodbye to our twelve graduating seniors. As for now, congratulations to Anslee Mason (#24), Ella Morse (#77), Karen Balderas (#29), Katie Lank (#4), Tripp Taylor (#44), Josh Deweese (#24), Kendrick Brown (#21), Kendrell Brown (#00), Colby Epting (#7), Laird Dunlap (#28), Cooper Cornett (#17), and Cooper Luke (#0) for all their hard work on and off the field. Each player is celebrated for their achievements and dedication to soccer, school, coaches, and teammates.
