Family members, fellow classmates and school personnel joined in a sendoff ceremony Thursday afternoon, Feb. 22 for the Oakdale Lady Mustangs soccer team. The girls play for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 title in a 5 p.m. contest at Cosumnes River College.

They face Rio Americano in the game and are looking to bring back the first blue banner in school history for the girls soccer program.

A police cruiser led the way for the bus – decorated with plenty of signs and well wishes – as it made two loops around the school for the cheering onlookers. A fire department engine was at the end of the caravan, giving the varsity squad a solid escort on the way out of town.

Head coach Kico Monares said the team – excited over their thrilling penalty kick shootout win in the semifinals – came in focused for the trip to Sacramento on Thursday.

“The job’s not finished,” he said, adding that the squad is a cohesive group with some great senior leadership, and is one that he feels can bring that elusive banner back home to Oakdale.

Parents taped signs to the bus before it left the bus circle, then the police escort along G Street in front of OHS gave everyone the chance to cheer and take videos and photos of the occasion.

Oakdale enters the championship game with the number two seed and Rio Americano comes in as the fourth seed.

Monares noted that Rio Americano is normally a Division 2 school but has dropped down into D3 for the playoffs.