Family, friends and Yelm soccer fans celebrated three Tornados for senior night on Thursday, Oct. 19, prior to the team’s matchup against the River Ridge Hawks.
Yelm’s three seniors — Chloe Baublits, Kyla Hall and America Chavez Silva — were accompanied by family, friends and mentors and joined by their teammates prior to the contest in their senior night ceremony.
“This is America’s (Chavez Silva) first year playing soccer. She came out with the team after playing volleyball. Playing a team sport has been great for her, as she came in and fit right in with the girls,” head coach Jay Dorhauer said. “Kyla’s been out here for three years. She just loves being with all the girls. Everybody is drawn to her. She’s got a great, bubbly personality. She’s one of those kids that’s kind of a glue person on the team. Everyone loves her.
“Chloe played four years but missed her sophomore year due to injury. She was deciding whether she wanted to play her senior year, but ultimately she decided to and probably had her best year here,” Dorhauer continued. “She played really good, and she’s another girl that her teammates look up to. She always works hard. You never have to question her work ethic. She listens to coaching, and she takes what you say to heart, [and] then does what you ask of her.”
In Yelm’s final home matchup of the 2023 season, the contest ultimately finished in a 1-1 tie. Junior Mariah Arnestad scored the Tornados’ only goal of the contest within the first 10 minutes of the game off of a corner kick.
Dorhauer said playing smart defense as well as countering when given the chance kept Yelm in the contest.
“We’re defending really well. I think our main thing is playing smart, solid defense and taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves,” Dorhauer said. “Even though we’re eliminated from playoff contention, we don’t quit until the last whistle of the last game. Gig Harbor is a really good team, and we’re going to go in and play them as hard as we can.”
Yelm played Gig Harbor on Tuesday, Oct. 24 but results were not available before the Oct. 26 edition of the Nisqually Valley News went to print.
The Tornados’ 2023 girls varsity soccer team consists of 10 juniors, making for a strong senior class in 2024. Dorhauer said he believes that because students only get four years in high school, they should participate in all the school activities or sports that they can or want to. But he said, at the same time, it’s important for the athletes to continue participating in soccer drills in the off-season to continue improving as players.
“You can’t just not touch a soccer ball for a year and think we’re going to make any headway in this league. Soccer is great because you can go out by yourself, [and] there’s a bunch of drills you can do with just a ball,” Dorhauer said. “We need people that really can master their first touch.”
