Much like Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, the St. Joseph girls’ soccer team prides itself on the motto, “All for one and one for all.”
However, as the Knights look to stay perfect in league play, one prolific scorer stands head and shoulders above the rest of her teammates: junior forward Sara Epps.
Epps leads the team in goals with 24 as of Jan. 26, including a recent four-goal outburst against Lompoc. Humble and reserved, the 16-year-old attributed her shot-making abilities to her teammates.
“I don’t really feel too self-accomplished,” Epps said. “I’m just trying to have fun out there with my team.”
Epps’ school year got off to a painful start. While playing summer club ball for Atlético Madrid, Epps tore a knee ligament and was unable to participate in cross-country in the winter. While she called her recovery “frustrating,” this season’s soccer success has all but erased the struggles.
“We’ve worked really hard for it, and the team has just been playing really well together,” Epps said. “We started right in the beginning of summer. We were in the weight rooms every day. It’s been hard, but it’s been good.”
Landon Reid, in his second year as St. Joseph’s head varsity coach, called Epps a big part of the Knights’ offensive attack.
“Sara is a wonderful talent,” Reid said. “She brings a lot of attention to herself from the other team, whether it’s from defenders or their defensive rotations. While we look to play off her a lot, we also use her as a decoy to get the other girls involved.”
Epps hopes to eventually move into the college ranks. For now, in her third year on varsity, her biggest goal is winning the league title, the Knights’ last year in the Los Padres.
“Since I’ve been here, it’s been three years where we’ve come in second in the league. It’s always been really close,” Epps said. “CIF is a goal too, but we have to get through league first.”
This article appears in Jan 28 – Feb 4, 2010.