26 Jan Kennedy Girls Soccer Focuses on Improvement Over Wins

Kennedy High School sophomore Hannah Hagen dribbles the ball under pressure from Hercules High School players during the Eagles’ 6-1 loss at Hercules on Jan. 13.

Story and photos by Denis Perez-Bravo

The Kennedy High School girls soccer team set a simple objective for the 2025–26 season: score goals and improve together.

“I hope I make lots of saves, and I hope my teammates make lots of goals,” Kennedy freshman goalkeeper Shayla Mercado said early in the season.

The team, made up mostly of sophomores and juniors, sits at the bottom of the Tri-County Athletic League Stone Division with a 0-7-1 overall record and is still seeking its first win with just two games to go. They may not have scored much, but they do say they’re improving.

“We lost a lot of our good seniors, but I think we’ve been getting better over time,” Kennedy striker Hannah Hagen said.

Even with the losses, Mercado said her love for the sport keeps growing.

“It’s mostly like a family tradition because my dad and uncle used to play goalie,” Mercado said.

“I’ve been playing goalie for almost three years, and I’m starting to really like playing here.”

Through Monday, Kennedy has been outscored by a combined 35-2.

The Eagles did not score their first goal of the season until their fourth game, a 6-1 loss to then-TCAL Stone leader Hercules High School.

The goal came in the second half after a foul was called inside the penalty box when a Hercules player blocked and knocked over a Kennedy attacker.

Junior Arleth Magaña stepped up to take the penalty kick.

“I was scared because every time I take a penalty, I always miss or it flies out,” Magaña said.

This time, she kicked a low shot into the right corner. The goalkeeper never moved.

Hagen, a sophomore, said the second half against Hercules showed the team’s potential.

“We got more motivated by our coaches’ talk and also by Arleth,” she said.

“That is somebody that I rely on to send me long balls.”

Kennedy picked up the pace in the second half, applying more defensive pressure, and keeping possession longer. The pressure paid off with two penalty kicks, including the one that turned into a goal.

Hagen worked to escape tight coverage, hustling from crowded spaces into open lanes while trying to stay unmarked by Hercules defenders. The approach, built around her dribbling ability, became more effective as Kennedy’s midfield applied sustained pressure.

“I feel like I had a better chance to go to the goal,” Hagen said.

Kennedy left back Ka-la Evans also showed improvement in the second half.

The sophomore was matched up against Hercules captain Madison Aquino on the left wing.

“It was pretty hard,” Evans said. “Because the fact I had to try to keep up with her and then I had to also predict where she was going to go.”

Evans said she adjusted after recognizing Aquino’s patterns in the second half. She began cutting off passing lanes used to spring Aquino down the wing and adapted again when Hercules shifted its attack centrally.

“I realized that, and I didn’t let it slide,” Evans said.

Near the final whistle, Evans cramped up, showing the toll of playing the entire match.

“I don’t really think about our wins and losses,” Evans said. “I just have fun.”

This season, getting on the scoreboard has felt like a small victory for the Eagles.

Kennedy will next visit St. Patrick-St. Vincent (1-8-1) on Tuesday at 6 p.m., and close out the regular season at home against Hercules (6-4-2) on Thursday at 6 p.m.