The team adopted a slogan, “By His grace, for His glory.” After the state championship, the team chanted the slogan that had provided the confidence to get them to the state championship facing an opponent that had a story line of their own.
Blue Valley knocked off first round playoff opponent Miege 2-1 in double overtime. They later defeated St. Thomas Aquinas on penalty kicks and then defeated Kapaun in the semi-finals in double overtime. They appeared to be giant killers.
While Liberal was the team with the history of success, Navarro convinced them that they were David going up against Goliath in the title game.
“We’ve heard a little bit about that story,” Navarro said.
For the Redskins, the state championship always seemed out of grasp. Liberal was a regular in the Final Four, but three runner-up finishes, two thirds and a fourth place finish in the past eight seasons left the Redskins doubting if they would ever achieve the ultimate prize.
Navarro turned to her faith, and her players followed.
“I had to get God in my life, and the players did, too,” she said. “It’s not about us, it’s about Him. We had to believe in Him. He was our 12th man this year.”
The players passed on the credit as well.
Ricardo Castro made two huge saves in the championship.
“God let me do it,” he said.
Moncayo’s goal gave the Redskins a 3-1 lead.
“Without God, I wouldn’t have scored,” he said.
Isai Gutierrez scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Topeka Seaman in the semi-finals, and provided key assists in the state championship.
“It was fantastic to win a state championship,” he said. “We had confidence to try our best and have good results thanks to God.”
Whether it be divine intervention or more than a decade of being one of the best soccer programs in Kansas, Saturday’s state championship proved that after disappointing ends to great seasons for a decade perhaps there was something to believing in something, and if the affliction was doubt, then the Redskins have been healed.