For Howard's Bautista sisters, soccer part of their bond

Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Howard senior forward Desiree Bautista scores one of her five goals against Red Bank in a road match this past Thursday.
Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Howard senior forward Desiree Bautista scores one of her five goals against Red Bank in a road match this past Thursday.

With a combined 44 goals scored this season and last, Howard senior forward Desiree Bautista has built a legacy that will last after her prep soccer career comes to a close.

The game appears to come natural to Bautista, who evades defenders with ease and has the footwork and leg power to provide an instant spark. While Howard did not field a soccer team her sophomore season, Desiree stayed atop her game and true to her school.

As a junior, she had 25 goals and led a re-energized program to its first postseason win.

"If you want to be good or great at something, you definitely have to work at it and can't quit," said Desiree, one of six siblings, four of whom have played for the Hustlin' Tigers girls' soccer program. "Skill is developed over time through practicing and in-game experiences.

"I owe a lot of thanks to my older sister Samantha. She has done whatever it takes to help me and my younger sister (Priscilla) become better soccer players. She will help us find training sessions, leagues to play in and will take us to games and practices."

Desiree and Priscilla have scored all 32 goals this year for Howard (5-5-2), which travels to take on Sequatchie County (9-1) in a District 8-AA semifinal Monday. The Lady Indians are also led by a senior-sophomore sister duo: Rileigh and Dylan Belk have combined for 25 goals and 15 assists.

One of the highlight this season for the Hustlin' Tigers was the program's first victory against East Ridge, with that Sept. 10 district match requiring nine rounds of penalty kicks to determine a winner.

However, soccer is more than wins and losses for the Bautista sisters.

"This sport has brought our family and so many other people in our community closer together," said Priscilla, who has 13 goals and a team-high seven assists this year. "That's something to be proud of. I learned soccer through my father. It's a part of all of us. To make our parents proud is the best feeling."

Howard coach Bjorn Croxall is appreciative of how they have tried to do that.

"They have never harbored praise for themselves," Croxall said. "They do a great job of promoting the team and not the individual. You don't win as an individual, you lose as one and win as a team. It's bigger than just themselves, and they realize that."

While these two Bautista sisters' time together as Hustlin' Tigers will soon reach its end, the sport has strengthened their relationship.

"I would like other people to see the bond that can be shared through the sport of soccer and as sisters," said Desiree, who has 19 goals and four assists this year. "I hope more people will want to play this sport and build lifelong relationships. It's a sport that brings families and people of all different backgrounds together."

Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.

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