Just two sports are in action during the high school winter sports season between late November and late February. While basketball gets most of the attention, athletes on the soccer field brave freezing temperatures to perform on the pitch. The five Alameda high school soccer teams have gotten underway in their pursuits of soccer sectional title this season. This is the last week before their extended winter breaks. 

The Alameda High School men’s soccer team has gotten off to a rocky start, but look to turn things around in the future. The Hornets are 1-5-1 on the year. They lost five of their first six games with the other being a 1-1 tie to Mt. Eden of Hayward on Dec. 8. However, the Hornets were able to get their first win of the season after a 4-1 victory in their last game on Dec. 13. The two teams started the second half 1-1, but the Hornets scored three goals in the second half. The Hornets played Arroyo of San Lorenzo and San Leandro this week.

The Alameda women’s team has had a similar start as the men’s team. They too have just one win on the year. It came in a 3-1 victory over St. Joseph Notre Dame (SJND) on Dec. 1. The Hornets scored two goals in the second half to hold on to the win. However, they have not been able to acquire another victory since. The team has tied in two matches (0-0 to Alhambra of Martinez on Dec. 5, 0-0 to Mt. Eden on Dec. 8) and lost two matches (1-0 to Castro Valley on Dec. 12, 7-0 to Newark Memorial on Dec. 15). They sport a 1-2-2 record overall. They team played Arroyo this week.

The Encinal High School men’s team is off to a troubled start. They are holding a 0-3 overall record. The team lost to Mt. Eden 5-1 on Dec. 6, 3-1, to Castro Valley on Dec. 8 and 11-1 to San Leandro on Dec. 13. The team will take on Arroyo today. 

The women’s team won its first contest against SJND 2-0 on Nov. 29. However, it has failed to win any of its next three games. They lost to Moreau Catholic of Hayward 6-0 on Dec. 1 and 4-0 to Mt. Eden on Dec. 6. They tied with Arroyo 1-1 on Dec. 15. They have gone on their winter break.

The SJND women’s team sports the best record of any Alameda team. They are 2-3 on the year. They beat Kennedy of Richmond 3-1 on Nov. 18. They later beat Tennyson of Hayward 1-0 on Dec. 9. However, two of the Pilots’ three losses have come at the hands of Alameda and Encinal. They also lost 7-0 to Lick-Wilmerding of San Francisco on Dec. 8. The team has gone on its winter break, but will return on Jan. 4 to play University High of San Francisco. 

The SJND men’s soccer team plays its schedule in the fall. They went 0-10.