Senior captain Naomi Cohen-Shields stepped onto the soccer field for her second to last home game as member of the girls varsity soccer team on Thursday, Oct. 22.

Although she had trotted out to her position many times before, this game was different. It was senior night, a game to celebrate all the hard work and dedication the seniors had put into the soccer program throughout their years at JDS.

Cohen-Shields made the junior varsity team as a seventh-grader, and was first put on varsity as an eighth-grader, something that happens infrequently — only for the most standout players. Cohen-Shields described that season as “intimidating”. While she did not begin the season as a starter, she worked her way up and was starting by the end of the year. After that season, she started in every game during her next four seasons of varsity soccer.

Cohen-Shields didn’t start playing organized soccer until she was in fourth-grade, but she said she always loved playing with her friends at school. When she was in fourth-grade she joined a club team, and has remained with that team ever since.

Cohen-Shields is never the leading scorer, or the one who takes the winning shot, but her role on the team is undoubtedly crucial. She plays sweeper — the last defender in front of the goalie, the commander of the defense, and the final challenge for the opposing team.

“You’re there to save anyone who’s having trouble, and pick anything up that comes by other people,” Cohen-Shields said. “You don’t get score a lot of goals, but you actually save a lot of goals, or let them in.”

Cohen-Shields is not only responsible for playing strong defense, but also for assuring that everyone is in the right place on the field.

“I like it because you’re sitting back there, you have a vision of everything going on, you know exactly where people should be, and where you should be.” Cohen-Shields said.

Sophomore Mira Rodney, who started as goalie for the first time this year, works closely with Cohen-Shields to prevent scoring opportunities and shots from the other teams.

“Every time I’m guarding the goal, I know she’ll always be there for me and she’ll always protect me,” Rodney said. “I don’t know what I would do without her.”

Cohen-Shields and Rodney are two big reasons why the Lions have had success this year. The team’s season record is 7-3. They have had many one goal games that could’ve gone differently had it not been for the efforts of the two players most responsible for keeping the ball out of the net.

To honor the senior players, the underclassmen made signs that had each of their names on them, as well as a big sign that said “We Love Our Seniors”. Before the game, each senior was given flowers, little soccer balls signed by the whole team and gift baggies.

“It’s kind of surreal because I’ve watched other people do it. It’s a big moment,” Cohen-Shields said. “I like those big moments in senior year that are scary but exciting.”

On Thursday, the Lions took an early 6-0 lead, and Coach Jay Matula moved Cohen-Shields up top — to striker, so that she could score before her career ends. Although she did not score, the Lions held on to win the game. In an earlier blowout this year, Cohen-Shields did get to score one of her few goals as a Lion.

Before the senior night game, Cohen-Shields reminisced on her soccer career coming to an end in a few days.

“Realizing that it’s my last season playing organized soccer ever in my life is tough, but it reminds me of how great its been, and how much I love it,” Cohen-Shields said.

She said she has loved playing on the JDS team because of the friendships and bonds she has made with the other players — relationships that are strengthened by the challenges that the team goes through together.

Rodney said that Cohen-Shields is an outstanding player, and that off the field she is really supportive and wants to help everyone succeed. Rodney hopes to win the championship for Cohen-Shields, as it is her last season.

The Lions won the championship last year, when they were the number one team in the league. This year, they are ranked as the fourth seed, making championships a harder goal to achieve. The team starts its quest for the championship on Tuesday, against Covenant Life at 4 p.m. JDS beat Covenant Life 1-0 in the championship last year, and this year they beat them 4-2 during the regular season.