King City celebrates state title after postponing following mass shooting
After waiting weeks to celebrate, the King City High School soccer team did so in grand style on Wednesday
Players from the team arrived at the town square on fire trucks before marching into a cheering crowd.
Sequels are rarely better than the original, but players agree the second time around was much sweeter.
“Two years ago, I wasn't able to play, and I was crying because I didn't get to play, and I was injured,” said team captain Esteban Acosta. “Now, I scored both goals in the finals, and it feels amazing and awesome. It's an amazing feeling.”
King City goalie Jesus Montoya said he wasn’t expecting this state title victory.
“With the start of the season we had, we didn't give up and we just kept on going, kept on going and we ended up accomplishing something that I didn't expect to happen and it just happened,” said Montoya.
After a rocky start to the season, the team closed out with seven straight wins to capture their second state title in the past three years. A season that aged head coach Jaime Cortes overnight.
"I got older, probably lost more hair, so much yelling,” said Cortes jokingly. “It was an interesting season in general.”
Community leaders spoke at the parade. Each came up one by one to give their respects to a team that battled adversity both on and off the field.
For Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez, this is what the community needed.
“We've been through a crisis right, and crisis can do two things: they can tear you apart or they can put you closer together. These boys won state the night before that big drama played out here in town, but our community didn't break,” said Lopez. “It's a special day for all of us, these boys earned it and made us all very proud.”
This team is bringing the city together. Two state titles in three years and for one day, the community was able to celebrate in a time where they needed it more than ever.