Cavegirl Soccer Hosts Lovington Wildcats

By Don Eskins

The Cavegirl soccer team won’t have to wait much longer to kick off their new season. On Tuesday, August 19, they’ll host the Lovington Wildcats. The JVs play first at 4:30 p.m., followed by the varsity at 6:30 p.m.

Carlsbad High’s girls will have the distinction of being the first CHS program to open play in 2025. Only eight days after their first official day of practice, on Monday, August 11, they’ll be battling Lovington.

Forty-nine athletes showed up for the Cavegirls’ initial day. Of that number, 12 were varsity returnees.

Cavegirl Head Coach Misty Long said her girls have been working very hard to prepare for the Wildcats.

“We have some kids who like to work hard this year. That’s half the battle for getting ready to compete,” said Long. “That’s a good sign for us. For us to be successful, we’re going to have to outwork other teams, and from what I’ve seen in practice this week, these girls are prepared to do just that.”

After battling injuries and a lack of experience for the past two seasons, Long said this year’s group has a good mix, one that has left them all feeling optimistic about 2025.

“This year’s group of girls is a good mix of both experience and youth. We’re especially happy about having so many seniors out this year,” said the Cavegirl coach. “We’ve already asked a lot from them, but they’ve all been receptive to what we expect from them. For us, that’s a good thing.”

Although the Cavegirl coaching staff still hadn’t settled on a lineup during the early part of the week, they had selected team captains.

Tabbed as captains for the new season are seniors Hayden Brose and Cassie Bielstein, along with junior Thalia Payanes.

“Hayden, Cassie, and Thalia were solid athletes last year and have already stepped up big for us this season,” said Long. “They work hard and always do exactly what we ask of them. They’ll be good leaders for our kids both on the field and off.”

As for Lovington, the Cavegirl coach said she looks for a tough match between the two schools. Last year, the Wildcats upended CHS 4-1.

“Lovington has always been tough, and we expect them to be tough again,” she said. “As for us, we’ll show up and we’ll be ready to play.”