By Kyle Roberts
A night of dense fog and limited visibility proved no issue for the Ruston High Lady Bearcats soccer squad as they defeated Northwood on the road Monday night 7-0.
“We didn’t know if we would get to play since the forecast wasn’t great, so we delayed our kick off by a few hours to let it clear out,” Ruston head coach Jacquelyn Bean said. “It’s a great start to our new season. No one really likes giving up a holiday break to travel to play but when you love what you do, and you get the win, it doesn’t really feel like work. The girls have worked so hard during the off season, we hope to carry the momentum we’ve begun tonight into our next matches. The Lady Bearcats deserved this win tonight.”
Ruston was led by junior Elliana Ramos, who finished with an incredible four goals on the night. 2023 team captain junior McKenzie Oakley added two goals, while junior Mia Tapia scored, as well.
The defense was led by sophomore Baylee Craig, along with sophomore Kate Williams and junior Morgan Foster held strong to aid in the shutout. Sophomore Cielo Vidal and junior Rilee Atwood both played in goal for a half apiece, and both kept a clean sheet.
Freshman Nnenna Ighade and sophomore Brailee Culbertson had an assist as well as Ramos.
The Lady Bearcats will return to action Monday, November 27, at home to take on Calvary at 5:30 p.m. at “The Hoss.”
On the boys’ side, the Bearcats lost 2-0 to Sterlington Tuesday night at home.
Fighting early season injuries, Ruston is relying on younger players to step up on the team through the first few games.
Senior Koy Tolar provided great leadership as the captain with a lot of clearances, while freshman Samir Velasquez is showing great strides on both offense and defense for the squad.
Ruston head coach Isaac Ramirez enters his first season at the helm of the team and wanted to show gratitude to the administration and the Ruston fan base.
“I want to thank Coach Baugh and Mr. Gressett for giving me the opportunity to be the boy’s head soccer coach,” Ramirez said. “I also want to thank the Ruston community for accepting me with open arms and making me feel at home.
“Even though we haven’t had a win this season, that doesn’t define who we are as a team. The boys have remained positive and they’re determined to grow as the season continues. I’m extremely proud of this young team and can’t wait to see their hard work pay off.”
The Bearcats will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at Loyola Prep.
