2B | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS
Soccer
spread out anyway, because
of the way you want to be
moving the ball around the
field,” she said. “So, aside
from asking people not to
do high fives and fist
bumps, and the ritual of
shaking the other team's
hand at the end of the game
and congratulating them
on a game well played, our
play doesn't have to
change.”
In addition to the added
change of wearing masks,
consistently using sanitizer
and practicing social dis-
tancing, spectators will not
be allowed to attend match-
es for the time being as
Lane County remains in
the extreme risk category.
But Tomaro is hopeful
that will change in the near
future. “If our county goes
from 1B
to become complacent
about anything. It's just
been an exciting run, and
I'm sure it's going to keep
going that way.”
Tomaro has been work-
ing consistently to build up
the school’s soccer pro-
gram, which until 2018 was
not even a possibility.
This year’s two seniors
on the team have seen the
growth firsthand, and the
squad’s juniors will be the
first in history to have
played soccer for the
Vikings since the ninth
grade.
“Up to that point, kids
had kind of moved into
high school sports with the
thought, ‘if I want to play
for my school, I have to
stop playing soccer…’ This
year's juniors are the first
kids who are going to be
able to play all the way
through,” said Tomaro. “It's
kind of the end of the era of
‘I play soccer on the side
and do something else for
my school.’ The junior class
[has] been the core of my
team for a long time.”
Fortunately, there will be
no shortage of student ath-
letes to continue the pro-
gram after this point.
Tomaro said she has a
strong group of 10th-grad-
ers this year, along with a
large group of ninth grad-
ers who are going to see a
lot of playing time.
“They're going to be the
ones filling in the spots
when I have kids graduat-
ing in the next couple of
years. So, it's really exciting
to see them filling in as I
have kids going up,”
Tomaro said. “They're
coming in — a lot of them
— with a good amount of
skill. And it's really exciting
to see this program grow.”
The steady growth is one
reason the school was able
to add a JV team to the
program this school year.
“Right now, we have 17
signed up, but a lot of my
returning players haven't
actually gotten their names
officially in yet,” Tomaro
said. “So, I think we'll have
about 24 players, which is
just enough for the two
teams that we've sched-
uled everything for.”
Another reason the
Vikings will have two
teams this year is the
result of their winning
record last year, according
to Tomaro. “It’s a whole
new world going into var-
sity. We played all the JV
teams in our league last
year. So that was good to
see the different variety of
competitive levels in our
league,” she explained.
“But then we knew toward
the end of the season that
we were going to be mov-
ing up to varsity this year,
because last year, we were
undefeated; we tied two
and won the rest.”
As the Vikings rise to
meet the level of competi-
tion worthy of their
steadily growing squad,
Tomaro has been doing
all she can to prepare the
players.
“We knew at the end of
the season that we were
going to have varsity this
year, and so I got permis-
sion to take the kids that
were interested to a varsi-
ty game with Marist,” said
Tomaro. “We watched
their varsity play, and
there's a big difference
even within that one
school between their JV
that we had played and
the varsity that we went to
watch — so it's going to
be a bit of a step up for
us.”
Despite the major shift
in level of competition,
Tomaro believes the
Vikings can handle it.
“We're going to be fine,
but it'll take a little getting
used to from a coaching
perspective, and also from
the competitor’s perspec-
down to ‘high [risk]’ from
‘extreme [risk],’ 75 people
are allowed at outdoor
events and then maybe a
few spectators could come,”
said Tomaro. “So, I'm
crossing my fingers for this
next two weeks. It’s going
to happen right before our
season, so I'm hopeful that
we can at least maybe
rotate the parents through.”
Siuslaw’s first game of
the season is at home,
when the Vikings host
Marist High School on
March 2. The JV game will
kick things off at 4:30 p.m.,
followed by the varsity
match at 6:30 p.m.
Both games will be held
at the high school’s east
baseball field at the corner
of Oak and 27th streets.
ZEAHNA YOUNG/SIUSLAW NEWS
Though optional practices like Wedneday’s have been taking place since the
begining of Season One, official practices for Season Two begin Monday.
tive,” Tomaro said. “I have
confidence in them that
they're going to step up to
the higher level of play, but
I think they might need to
see it once or twice before
they say, ‘Okay, this is what
we're aiming for.’
“This year will definitely
be a journey, but I'm look-
ing forward to it.”
One thing players have
to look forward to this sea-
son is a great deal of time
on the field.
“Everybody who's play-
ing will get a lot of playing
time, which is going to
really build the team
together as cohesive units,
each team,” said Tomaro.
“And also, those kids that
don't have as much experi-
ence are going to get a ton
of play time, which will be
really good for their player
development, and increas-
ing that experience just
through the play time com-
petition. I'm really excited
about that.”
Tomaro went on to
explain that she’s been tell-
ing players, regardless of
the amount of previous
playing time last year, any-
one who plays is going to
be a big part of whichever
team they're on. “Whether
they're on one team all the
time, kind of helping both
teams, going back and
forth, whatever it is —
everybody's going to be
contributing a lot to wher-
ever they are,” she said.
While the soccer pro-
gram is expanding, at this
juncture the team is still
technically a boys team,
with girls playing alongside
the boys until the school
has enough female players
sign up.
“Until we grow the girls
program, they are all wel-
come to play on the boys
team,” Tomaro explained,
adding: “And let me just
say that they are extremely
important parts of our
team. And they know it
and their teammates know
it. We couldn't do what
we've done without them
having been the players
that they are.”
Tomaro went on to dis-
cuss the possibilities for the
future of girls soccer at
Siuslaw High School.
“I have four girls this
year, which in the past two
years, we've had three each
year — so I'm excited we
got a little growth there,”
Tomaro said. “Hopefully,
the next year few years
have more girls, and I'm
hoping they'll stick with
soccer and we can keep
growing that program.
[Then] the girls can branch
out into their own team
Do you part and volunteer today to help support
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which, even the ones who
compete well on the boys
team, I think they'd like to
have a girls team.”
In the meantime, after a
very long break, players are
ready to get back out on
the field and compete. “We
played fall of 2019. And
then this year's fall season
got pushed back several
months, so we haven't
played since well before
COVID,” said Tomaro.
Luckily, soccer is a sport
with a mode of play that
adapts well to the new
health and safety regula-
tions required by athletes
since the outbreak of
COVID-19.
Though the summer
program was cut short,
Tomaro was able to hold a
few practices. “We're fortu-
nate that soccer is mostly a
sport where people are
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Faith – Friendship - Fellowship – Fun
CHURCH DIRECTORY
To include your organization in this directory,
please call us @ 541-997-3441
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
FOURSQUARE CHURCH
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337
2705 Munsel Lake Road, All are welcome!
Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family.
Zoom Worship Services: 10 AM & 11:30 AM Sunday.
Sun. Services: 10:45 a.m.
Bishop Larry Farnsworth 541-999-1979
Wednesday Bible Study returns this Fall.
Website: florence4square.com
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
4590 Hwy. 101, Across from Fred Meyer –- 997-7418
NEW LIFE LUTHERAN E.L.C.A.
Sunday School, 9:30a.m. – Worship, 10:45
21st & Spruce Streets—997-8113
Wed. Prayer - 6:00 p.m. –
Pastor Jim Abbott, All are welcome.
Wed. Ministries 1-8 Grade 7 p.m.
Sunday in-person worship service@ 10:30.
Also available to you on website
www.florencenewlifelutheran.org.
CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD
Corner of 10th & Maple- 541-997-3533
Sunday Services are 9am and 11am and on
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE SIUSLAW
Facebook live and KCST at 11am
3996 N Hwy 101 541-997-7136
Wednesdays at 7pm
Internet and in person Sunday services at 10AM,
https://www.florencecrossroadag.org/church-online
Call the church for details.
Other platforms update after the service.
Reverend Greg Wood
florencecrossroadag.org
All Welcome. Come as you are.
office@florencecrossroadag.org
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)
“War is still not the answer.” FCNL
FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Since
we
meet
in homes, we are taking a mindful pause.
2nd & Ivy - 541-997-2961 - Non-Denominational
Call
997-4237
or 902-9511 for information.
Service is on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Service also streaming live at 10:00 am
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH, L.C.M.S.
at florencechurch.com
Worship Services 10am 1st & 2nd Sunday
and 8am 3rd & 4th Sunday
FLORENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST
85294
Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038
Pre-Denominational (Romans 16:16)
DVD
of
Weekly
worship service available.
1833 Tamarack Street
www.puppro.wixite.com/rlcflorence
(2 blocks east of Hwy. 101 on 18th St.)
Bible Study: Sunday 10 a.m.; Worship: Sunday 11 a.m.
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
www.churchofchristflorence.org
Welcomes you to Worship Services
Sunday
at 9am and Wednesday at 11am
FLORENCE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
2135
19th St. – 997-6600
1318 Rhododendron Dr. • 541-997-2523
Reservations
Required Call or Email
Sunday Service 11am ( Children Sunday School)
standrewssecretary19@gmail.com
Mid-Week Activities, all ages.
Labyrinth & Garden Open Daily 8am - 5pm
www.standrewsflorence.org
FLORENCE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
4445 Hwy 101 (South of Fred Meyer) – 997-3951
SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE DUNES
Worship on Saturday 10:30 A.M.
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Adult/Children’s Sabbath School 9:15 A.M.
1.5 miles south of river on Hwy 101 – 997-2312
COVID-19 Compliant Masses have been scheduled.
FLORENCE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
Please call our office for details.
87738 Hwy 101 at Heceta Beach Road
RUAUU? All are welcome to explore the answer.
Until it is safe to meet in person, Sunday Worship Services
are available 24/7 on our website: www.florenceuuf.org
FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
2nd & Kingwood • (541) 997-6025
Link to Sunday services at
www.florenceunitedmethodist.org
or find us on Facebook.
Give us a call
541-997-3441
to get us your updates or
email to:
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