FREMONT — It wasn’t too long ago when junior goalkeeper Arden Rose saw firsthand how people outside American High viewed the Eagles’ girls soccer team.
“Freshman year, whenever we would win, the reaction was kind of like, ‘No way we just lost to American,’” Rose said.
The narrative has since shifted since then.
This season, the Eagles have won quite a bit. They finished the regular season 14-2-4 overall and 13-0-1 in the Mission Valley Athletic League.
When they routed Irvington 11-0 on Tuesday, they clinched their first MVAL title since 1991. They followed that win with another 11-0 victory on Thursday, over Mission San Jose.
Beyond the impressive results, perhaps what matters most to the players from this Fremont school is they are finally being recognized as a respected program after almost a decade of bottom finishes in league play.
“This year, the response from our opponents has been, ‘Oh crap, we have to play American,’” Rose said. “Now people look at us as a tough game or one of their biggest games of the season. It’s cool now to see that switch and get the respect we deserve.”
American head coach Pat Mapelli, left, confers with goalkeeper Arden Rose (1) during the first half of a girls’ high school soccer match against Mission San Jose, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 in Fremont, Calif. Rose did not play in the game. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)
American had a solid program for a few years dating back to the late 2000s. From 2009-2014, the Eagles had five consecutive winning seasons with finishes as high as second in the MVAL.
But when head coach Pat Mapelli took over in 2014, there was an adjustment period. For six consecutive seasons, the Eagles didn’t have a winning record.
But then things turned around in the 2021-22 season. The Eagles finished fourth in the MVAL with an 8-4-2 record.
A season later, American finished second in the MVAL, a game behind champion Newark Memorial.
Mapelli credited a change in his coaching approach as to why the results improved.
“I was struggling for a long time trying to implement a training plan,” Mapelli said. “The thing is I don’t want to take away their freedom to play. I don’t want to take away their freedom to make decisions … Some of those tools are just allowing them to express themselves. I need to give them that space.”
American Eagles teammates Julia Ignatov (6), Nessya Shapiro (2), Anabella Villegas (10) and Abagail Peterman (8) celebrate a goal against Mission San Jose during the first half of a girls’ high school soccer match, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 in Fremont, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)
The Eagles’ mix of high-pressure defense and a fast-paced attack has formed the team’s identity this season. American averages 2.4 goals, five shots on goal and 1.4 assists per match. The Eagles have racked up 340 steals and have allowed just 16 goals.
What’s even more impressive is the Eagles are doing this with a team that has just four seniors.
Sophomore Abigail Peterman has been arguably American’s best offensive player, leading the team with 26 goals. Julia Ignatov, who is second among the Eagles in goals and third in points, is a junior.
The team’s only two losses were against Freedom and Granada — both ranked inside the North Coast Section Top 20, according to MaxPreps.
“I think we’ve just had this mentality to go in and just do whatever we can to win,” Peterman said.
The wins have not gone unnoticed within the community. The Eagles said there has been an uptick in fan support from both students and people who live in Fremont.
American forward Abagail Peterman (8) runs back on defense during the first half of a girls’ high school soccer match against Mission San Jose, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 in Fremont, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)
“I think from the families, there has been a lot of high spirits,” Peterman said. “My dad has a horn that he blows after every goal we score and he even runs around in an Eagle mask on the sidelines.”
The team’s success has not come without some struggle.
American has its own field specifically for the girls team funded by athletic boosters and the Eagles’ own fundraising efforts, but it is completely maintained by Mapelli.
Since the school cannot afford to hire a grounds crew, Mapelli comes in every weekend to do all the maintenance to keep the field playable throughout the year.
There are no lights on the field, so the team either has to schedule home games at 3:30 p.m. or rent lights, which they only do for special occasions such as senior night.
“Coach Pat is emotionally invested in our team,” Rose said. “He’s out here every weekend taking care of our field every weekend and in the summers. He checks in on us after the season ends. He’s just really invested in us.”
American head coach Pat Mapelli, right, confers with American forwards Isabel Garcia (9), Abagail Peterman (8) and Julia Ignatov (6) during the first half of a girls’ high school soccer match, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 in Fremont, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)
No one on the team except Mapelli was alive the last time American won a league title, but the players know how special it is to get to this point. Hanging a league title banner has been the goal since the beginning of the season, but the Eagles think they have more to accomplish.
Related Articles
Sacred Heart Prep wins league title as TJ O’Brien overcomes foul trouble, injured hand to lead Gators
Prep roundup: Riordan wins WCAL title, Mitty girls dominate and Natalia Martinez scores 40 points again
High school basketball: Mills honors late coach Dave Matsu with league title
Prep roundup: San Ramon Valley boys flip script, rout Granada in EBAL semifinal
Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week: Dominic Walker, Moreau Catholic
Since 2019, American has gone to the North Coast Section Playoffs twice, but hasn’t advanced past the first round.
“We had two things we wanted to accomplish this season: Win the league and make it past the first round of NCS,” Rose said. “I really think we can reach both goals, but we need to put in the same work every day and have the same mentality that we had in all the other games this season.”
But even if the team falls short of its goals, Mapelli said he is proud of everything his players have done.
“I’m just proud of the spirit they’ve shown this season,” he said. “They don’t fear anybody. They don’t go into games with any doubt. They just have that mentality. It’s really a great bond that they have and I’m just glad I get to watch.”
American forward Abagail Peterman (8) outdistances a Mission San Jose defender during the first half of a girls’ high school soccer match, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 in Fremont, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)
American Eagle goalkeeper Arden Rose watches her team take on the Mission San Jose Warriors during the first half of a girls’ high school soccer match, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 in Fremont, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)
American head coach Pat Mapelli confers with his players at halftime of a girls’ high school soccer match against Mission San Jose, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 in Fremont, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)
