Colfax soccer starts off on the right foot

While high school football was set to kick off in parts of the Sac-Joaquin Section on Friday, some of the first contact sports kicked off on the soccer field Wednesday. Colfax girls and boys soccer took it to Golden Sierra and came home with two wins, 6-0 for the girls and 3-1 for the boys. "We've had other sports like tennis, golf and snowboarding, but this is the first contact sport with another school that we've had," Colfax girls coach Kara Diederichs said. "It was a cool day knowing that. It's a big step back toward getting kids out there." While the Lady Falcons completed their 2019-20 season before the COVID-19 shutdown in March, they still ended on a disappointing note. Colfax went 20-4 and won the Pioneer Valley League by going 10-0. The Lady Falcons outscored opponents 99-17 and won 12 straight games heading into the Division V section final against Bradshaw Christian. But a 4-1 loss to the Lady Pride left Colfax wanting more. "It's tough on my seniors because there is no redemption for that section final loss last year," Diederichs said. The Sac-Joaquin Section canceled postseasons for all sports in January to give teams a greater chance at a longer regular season. "But at the same time, we're here and I never thought I'd get to see these guys again." Despite not being able to redeem themselves on a championship level, the Lady Falcons have plenty of punch, even with a smaller roster than usual. Sophomore Chelyn Ackerman, who scored 20 goals as a freshman, picked up where she left off with two goals and three assists at Golden Sierra. Juniors Faith Bangert and Lea Reese added goals for Colfax. A bright spot for Diederichs is the arrival of seniors Natalie Lundberg and Aliya McCord, who are playing soccer at Colfax for the first time due to the uniqueness of this COVID-acclimated season. Lundberg and McCord have been on Colfax's varsity basketball team since freshmen, capturing section banners in 2018 and 2020. In the past, they've had to choose one or the other due to basketball and soccer being in the same season. Indoor sports were approved on March 4 by the California Department of Public Health to compete with rigorous testing protocols in counties that had COVID-19 infection rates of 14 per 100,000 residents. It is likely that basketball won't return to competition until mid-April. For now, Diederichs and the rest of the Lady Falcons look to reap the benefits. Lundberg netted two goals and had one assist while McCord contributed in the defensive midfield. Diederichs said with no league or postseason titles to be won this season, the team is rediscovering its passion for the sport. "It's a struggle breaking down, 'What are you playing for?' " Diederichs said. "They're really playing for the love of the game and the love of competition." The Falcon boys' win Wednesday marked their first in two years. Colfax went 0-8-4 last season. The boys team is again scheduled to meet Golden Sierra on March 31, while the Lady Falcons play at Lincoln on March 22.