Tuesday, Feb. 14 marked the season finale for the Oakdale varsity girls soccer team. Oakdale (4-17, 2-12) fell to Central Catholic (13-5-2, 10-3-1) 1-0 on the road to close out the campaign.

This was the first season the girls’ soccer program was moved from the spring to the winter since 2001. The CIF decision did not sit well with Lady Mustangs head coach Grace Fernandes.

“This was not a productive season. The weather, sharing the facilities with the guys made the season difficult,” the first year varsity coach said. “Rain games are not fit for high school athletes. A lot more injuries were sustained and more players got sick than in years past. Games were sloppy and dictated by the rain rather than the players’ skills.”

The team had to face the wet, rainy, muddy conditions throughout the season and were moved from the regular soccer facility to inside The Corral where the football team played. The switch came in late December, three games into the regular season, due to unplayable field conditions at the OHS soccer complex. Both the boys and girls teams played this winter, the boys moving to winter from fall, the girls to winter from spring.

“Not trying to be negative, just honest. Not every school has the facilities to house two programs at the same time,” Fernandes said about the situation.

Only time will tell if the CIF decides to move the soccer seasons back to spring and fall, but for now, both the boys and girls have to literally weather the storms of winter to play the game.

Oakdale was outscored 79-20 this season and their two wins came against Weston Ranch (1-17-1, 0-14-0). Sophomore Brianna Montoya led the team with eight goals on the year and tied Isabella Cobarruvias and Franchesca Ryan for the team high three assists this season.