MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / January 8, 2000

RESERVE – Tuesday might have been a cold night at Joe Keller Stadium but for the East St. John Lady Cats soccer team, it could not have been moreperfect.

Nykeita White scored the first goal in the team’s two-year history and the Lady Cats defeated Ellender, 4-0, the program’s first-ever victory.

“It was very exciting,” first-year East St. John head coach Joyce Maceksaid Wednesday. “It was great. They are still beaming. They haven’t quitsmiling. They are going around the halls with their heads up, hugging eachother.”East St. John improved to 1-7 both overall and in District 10-I with thevictory. The Lady Cats had finished the 1998-1999 with a 0-12 record.”The difference in the experience of the girls,” Macek said. “They arereally starting to understand the game. It was a lot of trial last year.”White, a freshman, got the team’s first goal in the first half, getting a good shot from up front and knocking it past the Ellender goalkeeper.

White got a second goal in the half, giving the Lady Cats a 2-0 lead at the break. Danielle Howell, another freshman, added two goals in the secondhalf. Goalies Tena Baham and Ashley Fallon kept Ellender off thescoreboard with Letita Hicks providing top defense.

“I was just so proud of them,” Macek said of what was going through her mind as the game came to an end. “They’ve worked so hard. It was a toughroad. At the end of the game, I was so happy for them.”East St. John was coming off a loss at home to Destrehan on Dec. 21 butMacek said the break for the holidays really helped the team.

“The girls were getting frustrated with the losses before the break and the break gave them a chance to get the losses out of their systems,” Macek said. “I came up with different plays and strategies for us. Theystuck in during practice Monday and paid off in the game.”The game ball from Tuesday’s match will now be placed in the East St.

John trophy case, commemorating the historical occasion. As for the restof the season, Macek sees more good things for the team.

“The outlook looks good,” Macek said. “We scored the goal and got that outof the way. The players have confidence. They believe in themselves. Ibelieve there will be more wins and I feel confident they will be successful this season.”Team members are Tena Baham, Helen Beard, Heather Becnel, Brittany Bickham, Vicki Brumfield, Brittany Fallon, Ashley Fallon, Latasha Gaines, Letita Hicks, Danielle Howell, Devin Lewis, Missy McBrayer, Jennifer Schexnyder, Sheila Schilling, Olga Vasquez and Nykeita White.

East St. John travels to Thibodaux Tuesday before returning home Friday tohost Central Lafourche.

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