South Whidbey forward Claudia Gil-Osorio scored more goals this season (32) than most teams across the state.
Even in the Class 2A state playoffs, where she was the focus of some of the best defenders in the state, she managed to get the ball into the goal.
For her ability to score — and for leading South Whidbey to a 21-1 record and a second-place finish in the state tournament — Gil-Osorio has been chosen as The Herald’s 2003 girls soccer Player of the Year.
"During the season she averaged 1.75 goals a game," South Whidbey coach Paul Arand said. "She was pretty consistent. That was her goal this year and she did it. She set her mind to it and she did it. It’s a testament to her ability."
What makes Gil-Osorio such a proficient scorer? It’s her sprinter’s speed. Teammate Katie Watson said Gil-Osorio is "bullet fast."
Gil-Osorio, who holds three school records in track (her 32 goals are also a single-season school record), often takes defenders by surprise with her quickness.
"If there was a ball 15 yards away and the defender had 5 yards on her, she could get to it with 5 yards on the defender," Arand said.
Her speed enabled her to get behind the defense and often put her into position to score. She also demonstrated a knack for scoring on headers. Arand said South Whidbey scored several goals this season off direct free kicks and it was often the Watson-to-Gil-Osorio connection that resulted in the goal.
"She would tap her forehead and I would get ready for a header," Gil-Osorio said. "She also gave me a lot of through balls. She can place the ball so well."
Although she has been playing soccer since childhood, Gil-Osorio missed most of two varsity seasons at South Whidbey. Arand said she helped South Whidbey achieve a third-place finish in the 2000 state tournament. But she ran cross country as a sophomore and missed most of her junior season as the result of a track injury.
She even missed several games this season while down with the flu. But she recovered in time to help the Falcons win their first North Cascades Conference championship and go undefeated until a shootout loss in the state title game.
"For the seniors, it wasn’t a disappointment," Gil-Osorio said of the 1-0 loss to Connell. "We finished second in the state. We were outscored, not defeated. It’s the best South Whidbey has ever done. We were happy. Actually, we were celebrating."
Now, she’s looking forward to the spring track season and playing soccer in college.
"I’m talking to a few schools," Gil-Osorio said, "Western Oregon, a couple of Washington schools … I’d like to stay close to home."
But she’ll take a little time to savor a near-perfect season.
"It was awesome," Gil-Osorio said.
And it was topped off by the player-of-the-year award.
"She works really hard," Watson said. "She deserves everything she has earned."
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