Shining soccer season

It is a made-for-TV-movie season.

The basic plot: Thirteen seniors on Central High School's soccer team are having their final year together, making history by taking their team to success never before achieved at CHS. Many of them have grown up together, kicking the ball around as elementary-schoolers with business sponsors' names on their uniforms.

They bring their own strengths to the team. Leadership. Endurance. Moxie.

And they come together to make Cape Girardeau -- no, statewide -- history in 2003.

It is an incredible season full of unforgettable highlights that put soccer on the region's athletic map.

There is the first 7-0 tromping of rival Notre Dame Regional High School at September's Soccerfest, and then beating the same team again a few days later.

Jackson falls too. Then Sikeston. The Tigers rip through St. Louis opponents: Hazelwood West and Fox. The team triumphs after a grueling three-game, two-day series against Springfield Glendale, Springfield Kickapoo and Columbia Hickman.

Then a particularly gut-wrenching game -- a third face-off with Notre Dame, and this one on senior night. It is to be those 13 boys' last win playing for Central at Shawnee Park Sports Complex.

And just that fast, between the beginning of September and Oct. 22, the boys are 19-0. Three more wins and they are 22-0 and headed for district play. They triumph. Sectional play. They triumph.

Then they are 25-0, going into quarterfinals.

Now 26-0.

So that's the team's record heading into the state semifinals Friday at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton, Mo. Their game against SLUH-Rolla begins at 6 p.m., and it would be great for them to have lots of fan support. If they win, it's on to the state finals Saturday.

It takes an incredible amount of talent, the right combination of players and a little bit of luck to have a fantastic season. The Tigers have it.