By Andy Walter

SMYRNA — Desiree Zapata can’t believe she’s a senior already.

The Smyrna High soccer standout feels like it was only yesterday that she was beginning her varsity career.

“I still feel like a freshman,” said Zapata. “Being around all my friends, it’s kind of like that younger kid in me almost and not realizing I’m going to be out in the world.”

With a school-record 85 goals so far in her career, Zapata has clearly made her mark on the Eagles’ program.

More than anything, though, the All-Stater and her fellow seniors would love to bring back some memories from their freshman season this spring.

In 2021, Smyrna went 14-4 and reached the DIAA Division I state finals for the first time in its history. Only a tough 2-1 loss to Padua kept the Eagles from claiming the state crown.

Repeating that kind of success won’t be easy for the Eagles. With a mixture of veterans and young players, Smyrna was 1-0 in the Henlopen North, 1-1 overall after two games.

Every team is different, of course. But Smyrna’s seniors still have fond memories of getting to the state championship game.

“There’s not a day during soccer season that it’s not on my mind,” said senior midfielder Lanie Pennington. “I’m always wanting to get back there and just feel the way I felt when I was a freshman. It never goes away.

“It just keeps it in the back of your mind like we can totally do it. The one loss we’ve had this year doesn’t mean anything to us. It just gives us a reason to bounce back even harder and chase that possibility.”

Along with Zapata being named the state Player of the Year last spring, Pennington was a second-team Division I All-State pick. Smyrna also returns goalie Halle Geiger, who made first-team All-Henlopen North and honorable mention selection Bree Moffett.

But the Eagles’ roster includes only five seniors with nine sophomores and a freshman. Smyrna coach Mike Osborne called it “an interesting group” because of the difference in experience.

“We’re in a growing phase for sure,” he said. “I think in the first two games you can see that.

“I feel like we have a good coaching staff to help with our young players,” said Osborne. “The young players are bought in and they’re working hard. With our veterans, I feel like we have a chance to win every game.”

Having Zapata as a major scoring threat is clearly a good place to start building a lineup. The senior has scored five of the Eagles’ six goals this season while assisting on the other.

The school scoring record was 69 goals when she started her career.

Smyrna's Desiree Zapata broke the school record with her 70th career goal as a junior. DAILY STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO.

Even without her top-level scoring abilities, Osborne said Zapata has been a great player to have on the squad.

“People say she’s a better kid than she is a player but I really feel that way about Desi,” said Osborne. “She is an excellent player but she’s a great captain. She’s supportive of her teammates. She gets a lot of attention from other teams and she doesn’t retaliate.

“I am very thankful for her and her family. It’s been great.”

Pennington and Zapata have played together on various teams since they were youngsters. Pennington is headed for Goldey-Beacom College after this year while Zapata has committed to Villanova University.

While they did reach the state finals, Smyrna’s seniors have never won a Henlopen Conference title. They’d love to earn a conference championship before they go to college.

“That’s the one thing we’ve been chasing the hardest I would say,” said Pennington. “We’ve had a couple disappointing losses in the last couple years. We’re really coming hard for that this year.”

This year’s Smyrna’s seniors are 36-17 in their careers with three state tournament victories. The fact that they’ve also gotten to play with the program’s all-time leading scorer has been exciting, too.

Marlayna Pennington says one of Smyrna's biggest foals this season is to win the Henlopen Conference title. DAILY STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO.

“I’m so proud of Dez,” said Pennington. “I love being able to play alongside her and just watch her do everything that she does. She’s a phenomenal player and she’s a great teammate. She’s always been a leader.”

Zapata said she doesn’t feel any pressure to be a big goal-scorer for the Eagles.

“If it happens, it happens,” she said about scoring.

With plenty more soccer in her future, Zapata says being able to play for her hometown high school has been special. She knows she’ll take a lot of good memories with her.

“I feel like everyone is so like a family — together,” said Zapata.

“We’re all here for the same thing. Honestly, I love being here.”

Some top athletes graduate from high school early so they can get a head start on their college careers. But Zapata said she never considered it.

“I wanted to finish out my years in high school,” she said. “Because every year counts and I want to make those memories. Most of my friends are in my grade so I didn’t want to graduate early and miss those last memories.”

Notes
•Sussex Academy opened its season with a pair of wins over Henlopen North squads, beating Cape Henlopen, 4-0, and then Smyrna, 5-3.

The Seahawks return senior Tayler Flaherty, who made the Top XI on last year’s All-State team. Senior Cate Brown made first-team Division II All-State.

•Polytech has a pair of Division I first-team All-Staters back in sophomores Ava Gzym and Sierra Henry along with second-team pick Kendall Maday.

• Delmar returns three Division II second-team All-State picks: Baylie Phillips, Lily Baker and Mackenzie Carroll.

•This year’s Henlopen championship game has been tentatively scheduled for May 18 on the field of the South champion.

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