The Bulldogs girls’ soccer team defeated crosstown rival Prairie View last week in a 2-0 shutout.
“We’re a really strong team this year,” BHS midfielder Mary Helen Monreal said. “With seven seniors who’ve played with each other for a while it really helps. All our returning players and multiple freshmen have brought up lots of talent. I’m glad I got to play with them for this last year.
“Prairie View has been one of the toughest teams to beat every single year. It’s a battle out there. Winning for the past four years, especially this year has been thrilling. It always feels good to win against a big rival school.”
Monreal has played soccer since she was 4.
“My mother put all of her kids in multiple sports,” she said. “I played T-ball before soccer at that young age, but after that I fell in love with soccer and have done it ever since.”
She has also ran track, and played some volleyball in middle school. Besides soccer this season, she’s also running on the BHS track team. All four years she has also ran cross-country.
Monreal has played club soccer since before middle school. She started playing with Platte Valley and then moved to WestminsterAFC. “My experience with Westminster was amazing, and I’ve learned so much from them. I’ve created bonds and memories I’ll hold forever,” she said.
During her soccer career at BHS, she’s been a varsity letterman four years, all-state first team academic achievement, first team all-conference, Bulldog Award (outstanding athletic contribution, leadership and academic), varsity captain and most valuable midfielder.
Monreal will attend Colorado State University next year and study exercise science and sports nutrition. She said she will not play soccer at the collegiate level, but said soccer is something she’ll always love and do for fun.
“I’ll stick with it for as long as I can,” she said.
Brighton is 6-5 overall and is undefeated in leagues 6-0. Monreal has scored 2 point this season with 17 assists. Brighton plays their next-to-last regular season game at Aurora Central today at 4:30 p.m.