PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — The Bay High School soccer team made history this season, when they won their first district game in six years with the 2-1 win over Pensacola.
“The fact that you guys are just talking about in the last practice you were discussing the fact that Bay High hasn’t won a district game in years,” Bay Head Boys Soccer Coach Mike Chrivia said. “So in your heads during your game, you’re trying so hard to go forward and compete and win because you wanted it so bad that it actually takes you out of your game.”
Last year, the team made it to regionals for the first time in almost a decade, but the Tornadoes are looking to go even farther this season.
“Right now we’re really strong,” Bay Junior Center Back Grant Gross-Rhode said. “And we’re all really excited that we get to do something that Bay hasn’t done and think almost ten years.”
They aren’t going to let the pressure get to them this time.
“We’re the underdogs going into that,” Bay Junior Center Mid Flint Haligas said. “So we really have nothing to lose. They have everything to lose.”
This season, the Tornadoes are not only playing to win, they are playing for something bigger than soccer.
“Flint came over to me and he pulled me aside, he’s like, come here, come,” Chrivia said. “I want to tell you something and he he just pulled his shirt up like this, and he had a little piece of tape.”
Chrivia’s son Jamison passed away six years ago to cancer.
“I had not realized that they knew what the day was, but it was such a beautiful thing,” Chrivia said. “So he told me that they were all wearing them and they were going to wear them every single game for the rest of the season in honor of him and I just I wanted to hug all of them and I do every time I talk about it. Every time I’m around them and when we finish practices I talk about it. How proud of them I am just for being such great kids and that I respect them for doing such wonderful things, so it was really great for us to win that Pensacola game and they were all able to wear the bands the tape with his initials on it.”
The red tape around their hands and the celebration after a goal all in honor of Jamison.
“And just having something to play for,” Haligas said. “And the passion of our coaches son, is just everything to us.”
For the Bay soccer team this season a win is about more than just their record.
“So now we get another opportunity to do it,” Chrivia said. “And I said, is, I’m, I’m happy because we’re we’re continuing it and it’s it’s beautiful that you guys are succeeding and this is able to move forward and be a continued remembrance of my son, who was a wonderful kid.”
The Tornadoes will play Bishop Kenny in the first round of regionals on Wednesday, February 8 at 7 p.m. est.