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East Bay senior wants to take team to state

Staff photo by John Ceballos

Senior Andrea Owens is the starting goalie on the East Bay High School girls' soccer team. She hopes to lead the Indians to a state title this season.

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By JOHN CEBALLOS

jceballos@tampatrib.com

Published: November 4, 2009

GIBSONTON - Despite making it to the regional finals, last season left a bad taste in the mouth of at least one player on East Bay High's girls soccer team.

"We lost 8-0 to Melbourne," said senior goalie Andrea Owens of the loss to the eventual Class 6A state champions. "It was the first time I'd ever played on artificial turf - it was just a bad game all around."

As she and the rest of the Indians prepared for East Bay's first game of the season - a Nov. 3 home contest against King High - the goal for this year is clear.

"I expect us to go as far as we did last year and hopefully push into the state title game," Owens said.

Former East Bay assistant and first-year head coach Becky Wickham is counting on Owens to help lead the way for the talented squad.

"She's got a fiery temper, and she's definitely not afraid of yelling at a teammate if she has to," Wickham said. "She's flat-out one of the hardest workers of the teenage age group that I've ever worked with."

Owens, who also plays center for the school's flag football squad, has been a member of the East Bay soccer team for four years.

She'd been swatting away soccer balls well before she arrived at East Bay.

"I started playing soccer when I was 8, and I played goalie from the very beginning," Owens said.

She hopes to continue tending net once she graduates from East Bay.

"My dream would be to play soccer at USF, but I'll go to almost any school that'll let me play," Owens said. "I want to go somewhere where I can play within a year or two."

Before that, she has unfinished business in her high school career.

"My personal goal is to carry this team as a goalie and get us to where I think we can go," Owens said.

GET TO KNOW

WHO: Andrea Owens

AGE: 17

SCHOOL: East Bay High

GRADE: 12th

SPORTS: Soccer and flag football

FUTURE PLANS: Undecided about what she wants to study, but wants to play soccer in college.

Reporter John Ceballos can be reached at (813) 627-4762.

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