Sports

Meet the Team

SWHS girls varsity soccer

Jane Carty, Ore Akinsola, Mia Ruiz, and Lilliana Girouard • October 10, 2024

Eli Schwartzman

South Windsor High School girls soccer team celebrates a win against Avon.

Girls Varsity Soccer

Senior varsity captain Lilah Cabahug playing center defensive mid, clears the ball. (Eli Schwartzman)

Lilah Cabahug

Senior Lilah Cabahug stands out on South Windsor High School's girls varsity soccer team as the season unfolds. Reflecting on a recent loss, Cabahug said,

"Sure, we did lose to Hall, but we could’ve been more competitive throughout the game." Her comment highlights a focus on growth and improvement, not just winning.

From an early age, the athlete's journey began encouragement from her parents.

"My parents signed me up when I was little, and now it’s something I can’t see myself not doing."

This deep-rooted passion has shaped her identity and fueled her aspirations.

Cabahug sets personal goals for herself each season.

"I want our team to have a good year, make it to states. Personally, I want to be a good leader and work hard this season with no regrets." Her focus on team highlights her leadership as captain of the team which is why she was overwhelmingly elected by her peers for this role.

Team dynamics play a crucial role in this journey.

"The team chemistry is great this year. We all get along on and off the field, and all care for each other." Cabahug encourages the team and improves their play with constructive criticism and it is received because she holds herself accountable on and off the field as well.

Cabahug is currently to committed Saint Anslem in New Hampshire to continue playing after high school.

Junior center attacking mid Sam Roux moving the ball up the field. (Eli Schwartzman)

Samantha Roux

Junior Samantha Roux, on the varsity girls soccer team has her sights set on playing soccer in college, and is determined to do it.

¨After high school, I am hoping to play soccer at the collegiate level somewhere in New England,” Roux explained.

She wants to focus on not making mistakes while playing soccer , but she acknowledged that her toughest challenge is getting used to how good other teams are.

¨My hardest competition is playing really good teams because the pressure is always on you, which can cause more mistakes and injuries,” Roux said.

Roux believes that every aspect of soccer is very important, and that each skill helps you be more successful in the game.

Girls soccer is a community in which members make a lot of connections. Everyone wants to do their best and is dedicated to the sport, with many playing since they were old enough to walk, which is why Roux really likes playing soccer on this team.

¨Something I like about being in girls soccer is the friendships that we all made with each other and the effort that we all put into the sport,” Roux stated.

Outside of soccer, Roux is very social. She spends her time playing basketball, at school and hanging out with friends.

¨Something that I dislike about girls soccer is that it's only one season, I wish it was Fall and Spring¨.

She looks forward to maintaining the friendships she has made, even when her season is officially over. She cares about the sport and everyone in it and puts a lot of hard work into every game.

Senior center defensive mid Ava Hapkiewicz battling for the ball with an Avon player. (Eli Schwartzman)

Ava Hapkiewicz

Ava Hapkiewicz is one of the 8 seniors on the South Windsor Girls Varsity Soccer Team. She has displayed her leadership throughout the season which has rightfully earned her the title as one of the team’s captains. Hapkiewicz’s determination and consistency has inspired the team to face challenges head on.

Hapkiewicz has been playing soccer since she was 5 years old. Her experience shows on the field as a player and senior. Hapkiewicz explains that she “fell in love with it because I loved being on a team and feeling like I could contribute to something.”

When asked how her experience as captain has been so far, Hapkiewicz stated, “It feels like an honor and a big responsibility, but the girls on the team make it easier because we are able to talk to each other so there’s no problems.”

The girls have faced many ups and downs throughout the season. Soccer is a very mental game where a team's attitude can strongly affect their performance. As captain Hapkiewicz tries to, “keep it positive for motivation because I think we need to be encouraged and have a confidence boost for the game.”

The girl’s team record this season so far is 9-1-2. They have been very successful so far and hope to garner good results. One goal Hapkiewicz has this year for the team is “to feel like we tried the best we could possibly do till the end because we have a great team this year.”

Freshman forward Kylah Wood stands waiting to receive the ball. (Eli Schwartzman)

Kylah Wood

Freshman forward Kylah Wood has joined South Windsor High School's varsity girls' soccer team after a decade of playing the sport. She’s excited to finally compete at the high school level.

“My favorite thing about soccer is that it takes my mind off of everything else and it is just really fun to play”, Wood said.

One of Wood’s inspirations, Tobin Heath, is an offensive player for the US Women’s National Team.

“Growing up my inspiration was Tobin Heath because she was a very skillful player, and she inspired me to work hard and try new things,” said Kylah.

She credits her family as her biggest supporters, saying they always come to her games, whether it’s home or away, to cheer her on.

According to Wood, “Having them there at games really helps me to play my best.”

The first month of high school can be a drastic change, but Wood states while it was a fast month, it was successful, and she credits soccer as helping her make that adjustment.

“Being a part of the soccer team really helped me ease into being in a new school. My favorite part of being on the team is all the team bonding we do like pasta parties before every game.”

Like many student-athletes, Wood states, “the biggest challenge I have as a player this year is to stay consistent in games and keeping up with homework with my busy schedule”.

She is still able to find time for relaxation though, saying she likes to watch TV or hang out with friends in her downtime.

“One thing I want people to know about me is that I only started playing forward a few months ago, but I have still been able to be successful this season”

Wood is new to the team, but is already finding success and looks forward to the rest of her season and high school career.

Sophomore defender Emery Forko receiving the ball on the defensive end. (Eli Schwartzman)

Emery Forko

Emery Forko is a sophomore at South Windsor High School and one of the many talented student-athletes.

Forko has been a member of the girl's Varsity Soccer Team since her freshman year but has been playing soccer since she was 3 years old. Her father, Sam Forko, and uncle, Willis Forko were professional soccer players, so she was immersed in a soccer environment at a young age.

As a starting defender, her fearlessness to head the ball is one of her greatest strengths and allows the team to gain possession.

Emery expressed her appreciation for her teammates, she feels accepted and adores the environment the team has created. Forko explains the balance between soccer and friendship that is fostered in the environment.

¨My most memorable moment was the bus ride home from RHAM. Singing and hanging out with everyone was so fun and I felt a part of the team,¨ Forko told The Prowl.

Despite the challenges Emery faced when making the transition to the SWHS varsity soccer team, she was able to quickly adapt to the new formations and different levels of play.

In addition to Forko’s soccer abilities, she is an excellent student. Forko explains, that despite her love for soccer, school takes priority over sports. She is committed to maintaining an excellent GPA, and a handle on all of her assignments.

Forko wishes to play college ball but does not have plans past that. She intends to stay focused during the remainder of her season and is excited to continue her career on the SWHS team.

Freshman right center back Allison Marques observing the play from the back line. (Eli Schwartzman)

Allison Marques

Freshman Allison Marques has been playing soccer since she was six years old - almost a decade of her hard work showed when she earned a spot on the South Windsor High School Varsity Girls Soccer team this year.

Marques has a real passion for soccer and is grateful for the opportunity that the Varsity Girls Soccer Team provides for her. However, there are a few unique challenges that she faces being one of the youngest girls on the team.

“The hardest part of playing soccer in high school is playing girls a couple of years older than me, who have more experience and are stronger.,” Marques told The Prowl.

With her new team, she hopes to meet some goals she has set for herself.

“My goals for this year are for the team to have a successful season and hopefully win the state tournament, create good connections with people on the team, and continue to grow and get better,” Marques said.

Marques hopes that she can continue to play all the way up into her college years.

“I have improved by gaining a lot more confidence and my speed of play in games.”

Junior center back Erin Martin on the field during the girls game against Avon. (Eli Schwartzman)

Erin Martin

Junior Erin Martin started playing soccer when she was 5 years old because her older sisters played, and she wanted to be just like them. She is a player on the varsity girls soccer team at SWHS.

Since she started, her biggest support for her continuing on has been her family and her teammates.

“My mom and my dad always come to my games to support me, no matter how far they are,” Martin told The Prowl.

Not only that, but her teammates are always there to cheer her on and hype her up on and off the field.

One thing she loves the most about being on the team is the people that she gets to play with. They have such a good bond together, which allows them to make long-lasting friendships.

“Everyone is super competitive, and they always want the best for the team, which makes it so much fun to play with my teammates,” Martin explained.

If she was to give advice to her younger self, it would be “never doubt yourself and have confidence whether it is on the field to make the tackles or off the field.”

Her plans after high school are to go to college, and continue playing to the best of her abilities.

One piece of advice that resonated with her the most that a coach gave to her, was to be her full self, be a full player, and continue to play to the best of her abilities.

“If I make a mistake, I plan to move past it, and work on not making it again,” Martin said.

Her biggest challenge in soccer this year is not to get down, even as a team, to continue to push through and come out hard on their opponents.

Additionally, as a strength, she thinks as a whole, her team has really good chemistry with each other, which is why she and her teammates have been successful thus far this season.

The next varsity girls soccer game is on Friday, October 18th at 3:45pm against Bloomfield at Bloomfield High School.

About the Contributors

Jane Carty, Copy Editor

Jane Carty is the Copy Editor for The Bobcat Prowl. She reviews articles prior to publication and ensures grammatical and factual accuracy among the Prowl’s content. She is a junior and this will be her second year working for the Bobcat Prowl. She is a member of student leadership including class office and student council. Jane runs for the girls cross country team in the fall and dances competitively year round. In her free time she enjoys reading, baking, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.

Ore Akinsola, Staff Writer

Ore Akinsola is a staff writer for The Prowl, and a Sophomore at South Windsor High School. This is her second year with The Prowl, and she likes focusing on news and feature stories. She enjoys reading and drawing in her free time. She is very excited to have another year working on The Bobcat Prowl team . She hopes to major in architecture when she graduates.

Mia Ruiz, Social Media Editor

Mia Ruiz is a Social Media Editor for The Bobcat Prowl. She manages the paper’s social media platforms as well as assists staff writers with their assigned pieces. By joining the student paper, she hopes to communicate important topics such as sports and school events to her peers, while also improving her writing skills. When she is not writing for The Prowl, you can find her playing for the South Windsor girl’s soccer and basketball teams. Besides participating in numerous physical activities, Mia also enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Lilliana Girouard, Web Editor

Lilliana Girouard is the Web Editor for The Bobcat Prowl. This is her third year in journalism and her first year as an editor. She’s on the swim team at the high school and swims outside of school as well. In her free time, she likes to read, spend time with friends, and travel. After high school, she wants to attend college and pursue a career in the medical field.

Eli Schwartzman, Editor/Sports Specialist

Eli Schwartzman is entering his fourth year with The Prowl, serving as the Sports Specialist for the 2025-2026 school year. He is an avid sports fan and is a photographer often on the sideline of games capturing pictures of various sports teams. Schwartzman is the most decorated writer in The Prowl’s history and is nominated for the New England and Connecticut student journalist of the year. His article, The Payoff Pitch, received several awards last year including a Best of SNO award and Honorable Mention Finish from the CT Press Club.