Blazers’ Sports Spotlight: Girls Soccer

On Tuesday, November 3, the Bush Girls Soccer team had one goal: beat the Overlake Owls and make the state tournament for the second time in the last four years. Fans flocked to Washington Park, and the Blazers came out ready, with two early goals from senior Makenna Kim. In the second half, a goal by Flora Toledo ‘27 was enough to seal a 3-2 win, clinching the team’s position in the state tournament.

The Blazers have found this success through both high-intensity practices and team bonding. “It’s really a close-knit friend group. It translates to the field because we know each other so well.” Flora said. “When I’m playing up top with Makenna or Anna [Kopstein ‘27], I know Makenna is going to make this run or Anna might make this run.” On the field, the built-up chemistry between the seniors has extended to the rest of the team. “Especially for me and my captains, we’ve been playing together for so long, and we’ve all been such good friends, that I think our chemistry there is really special. The whole team feels like a second family,” Makenna added.

That connection did not develop immediately, however. With new freshmen and players moving into different roles, Makenna noted that it took some time for the team to find their style of play, but eventually they found what she described as the importance of selflessness.

For Anna, that mentality started with the captains. After a season where they finished just two games shy of the state tournament, she and the other captains (Flora, Makenna, and Stella Putnam ‘27) noticed a change in how they wanted to practice.

“The biggest thing we noticed was showing up every practice really excited to play, and getting that mindset in others,” Anna said. She later added, “What’s distinctive about this team is our effort this year. Everyone has a lot of individual energy and tenacity.” That commitment began before the season. Over the summer, player-led team runs and lunches became a team tradition, and as the season began, the bonds continued to grow. When asked about team traditions, Anna, Flora, and Makenna all lit up, mentioning team outfits, post-practice relay races, the team’s lively group chat, mandatory karaoke, and bus-ride singalongs. Even so, Anna reflected on the team runs as key to the early stages of the team’s development.

As a result, the team environment has become one of genuine joy: “Practice is such a fun environment, and it never feels competitive in a way where everyone is vying to beat everyone,” Makenna said. “We’re literally laughing every single second of the day.”

Eventually, that familiarity has allowed the Blazers to move away from long and risky passes and toward “playing on the ground.” Flora explained this style by saying, “We’ve shifted to less of a high school style of play, and instead use a lot of shorter passes with an intention to go forward.” These short decisive passes, building momentum from the back of the formation, have become a defining piece of the Blazers’ scheme.

Flora believes that this approach gives Bush a key advantage, creating space and setting up their attacking players for success. Makenna echoed that sentiment, saying “We’re trying to get into this rhythm of moving off the ball really quickly and being that team that passes and not just boots the ball back and forth.”

Maintaining that style is not always easy, as Anna remarked that the team can abandon some of that identity when games become frantic. That’s where the coaching staff comes in: “We’re not afraid to ask for advice from the coaches, and they’re not afraid to tell us what to do because we like those constructive criticisms.” Makenna remarked. Head coach Marcelino Dumpit Jr.—whose hair has been recently buzzed and bleached, dazzled with blue stars as a celebration for making state—is a key strategic voice for the team.

“Marcelino thinks the most about tactics and lineups; we often hear him say ‘goals change games,’ and he really brings the competitive edge,” Flora explained. Meanwhile, assistant coach Amelia Wells was described as in “a constant state of joy,” with Makenna saying “she’s like our mother.” New to the coaching staff this year is Adriana Bucceri, who Anna said “when you look over at her, she knows and we know that we could be doing better.” It’s clear that the coaching staff, from Marcelino's tactical guidance to Amelia's calming presence and Adriana's demanding approach, has given the team both a competitive edge and a strong team community.

This leads to a team that plays as more than a sum of their parts. Anna highlighted Kate Van Nimwegen ‘28, Dorothy Grey Sackville-West ‘28, and Olive Garson ‘29 for their work in the back line, saying that defensive plays often receive less recognition than goals but can be just as decisive. “Those three are just absolute brick walls,” Anna added. The captains also highlighted Sawyer Franklin ‘28 for her work ethic and offensive ability, while also repeatedly shouting out the rest of the younger players and their teammates for their constant energy, intensity, and support.

The Blazers have also earned individual recognition for their performances this season. Makenna and Anna were both named to the All-Conference First Team, along with Sawyer. Flora earned Second Team honors and is set to continue her soccer career at Occidental College. Kate, Dorothy-Grey, Olive, and Margot Streets ‘30 all earned all-conference honorable mentions.

The support has spread throughout the Bush community, with all three players emphasizing how much it means to see friends, peers, and teachers attending games.

“It really just gets you going in the game,” Flora said. “When you do something well and you hear all of your friends and peers cheering for you, it adds to that competitive edge.”

Anna added: “It means more than you would think. The little things make a big difference.”

That support and the team’s growing confidence give the team momentum as they head into the state tournament. With a 13-2 record and the 7th seed in the 16-team tournament, they play the 10th-seeded Tenino Beavers on Tuesday, November 11 at 7pm at King’s High School. But for the players, a deep run at state would mean even more because of the team they’ve become.

When asked what a run at state would mean to her, Flora responded with, “A deep state run for us would mean so much because our season could have already been done two weeks ago, so every extra week is just another week for us the team and coaches that we love so much, so there’s a sentimental aspect that’s important.” Her response, only focusing from the collective perspective, truly embodies the captains’ team-focused mindset.

The Blazers have spent their season building a team, culture, and on-field identity that extends beyond their record. Now, heading into state, they have the potential to turn that into something tangible.

“We’re in such an amazing situation to go far in the state tournament, so I know that we can actually win these upcoming games,” Anna said, finishing with a message from Marcelino: “The only team that can beat us is ourselves.”