On Wednesday Oct. 11, Santa Fe’s Unified soccer team was crowned state champion at the Unified State Soccer Tournament in Owasso.
According to Special Olympics Oklahoma, the host of the regional tournament, Unified teams unite both disabled and non-disabled peoples in the same sports competitions. For Santa Fe, this means that all students, enrolled in Special Education (SPED) or just Santa Fe in general, can join the school’s Unified soccer team.
Santa Fe’s Unified soccer players included freshmen Benjamin Walker and Grayson Wester, sophomores Beckett Taylor, Ella Lamprecht, Ayden Miller, Kolby Watkins, Eesa Durrani and Caleb Cumpton, juniors Ian Jenkins, Ali Alnabhan, Alexander Campos and Grayson Myers and senior Dominic Adkins.
The team first competed against Terra Verde Discovery School, winning with a score of 4-2. Players Dominic Adkins and Grayson Myers scored two goals each.
Next, the team played off against Owasso High School, tying the game with a score of 2-2. Players Ali Alnabhan and Dominic Adkins gained one point each.
Finally, the team faced off against Owasso Transition Academy, taking the win with a score of 12-5. Players Eesa Durrani, Beckett Taylor, Ben Walker, Grayson Wester, Ella Lamprecht and Dominic Adkins racked up the points for Santa Fe.
In order to break the tie with Owasso High School, Santa Fe had to participate in a final shootout, eventually coming out victorious with an overall score of 3-2. Players Dominic Adkins, Ian Jenkins and Alex Campos scored the final goals, with Caleb Cumpton acting as goalie for the round.
After the tournament, the Santa Fe Unified soccer team was awarded a first place trophy, with each athlete taking an individual gold medal home.
