Nichols enjoys state run

Last week, the Lakeland High girls soccer team went to state for the first time – quite an accomplishment for a school that only recently made the jump from 3A to 4A.

The Hawks came within a feather’s width of winning it all, allowing an overtime goal on a corner kick in a 2-1 loss to Century in the state final.

So forget about all that “just happy they made it” stuff: Lakeland delivered a clear statement.

Then the Hawks delivered some hardware.

Junior striker Natalie Nichols – a hard-nosed competitor who will be vital in Lakeland’s 2006 campaign – said bringing home the runner-up trophy is the highlight of a soccer career that began in third grade.

“It was exciting – it was SO exciting,” said Nichols, the Hawks’ second-leading scorer to senior Kayla Stiegemeier. “We couldn’t even believe it happened.”

There were, of course, thoughts of what might have been, but Nichols said they were short-lived.

“That’s one of the worst ways to lose,” Nichols said of the corner kick that ended it. “We were both pretty evenly matched and it was very physical.

“Right after the game, we were all sad, but a couple of days later, on Monday, it kind of soaked in that we did pretty dang good, it being the first time we went down there, and proving to everybody that we can actually do something.”

Nichols attributes her team’s success this season to pure chemistry.

“We get along so well and we have so much fun together,” said Nichols, adding that this year’s squad is the tightest knit of any on which she’s played. “It helps a lot when you trust each other.”

As far as influences go, Nichols pointed to Stiegemeier as possibly the biggest in the 10 years she’s been playing soccer.

“She’s helped me so much,” Nichols said of her departing teammate. “She’s plays up rough on me and she makes me work that much harder.”

Nichols is cautiously optimistic about the Hawks’ chances next season and is aware of the expanded role she will be expected to play.

“We’ll be good, I suppose, but we’re losing three big seniors, and we’re really going to miss them on the field and off,” Nichols said. “But we’ll just have to step it up and show we can do it again.

“I’ll have to become more of a leader, and I’m a little anxious, but I’m ready for it, I guess – it’s my turn.”