On Wednesday, April 21, Bishop Montgomery’s girls’ soccer team traveled to Pasadena to play La Salle High School in a Del Rey League match that was truly a unique experience. Thanks to the City of Pasadena and local officials, the game was played in one of the most iconic venues in the United States, the Rose Bowl.
This spring, city council members from Pasadena got together with Rose Bowl officials to give back to the community by allowing Pasadena-area schools to play football and soccer games at the venue. For much of the year, high school students all over Southern California were not sure if they would have a season; when COVID cases started to steadily decline and playing games became a reality, officials in Pasadena stepped in to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many high school athletes. “Playing in the Rose Bowl was a great experience, especially for those of us in our senior year of high school,” said BMHS senior forward Kiana Frew ‘21.
One of the first impressions of the Rose Bowl was the sheer size of the stadium and the playing field. “It was impressive how big the stadium is when you are down on the field,” said freshman midfielder Kylie McGarry ‘24. For senior Jordan Parrish ‘21, who will be playing next year at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, playing at the Rose Bowl was great preparation for college. “It gave me a taste of what college soccer will be like because of the size of the field. It was definitely a test of our cardio.”
In the first half, BMHS and La Salle played a tightly contested match for 19 minutes before the Lancers tallied the first goal. Late in the half, La Salle scored two quick goals to take a 3-0 lead to the half. Although Bishop Montgomery lost the game by that score, the experience of playing at the Rose Bowl was something that few of the participants will ever forget. “We are thankful to La Salle and everyone involved in making this game happen for the girls,” said BMHS soccer coach Brian Haynes ‘89. “Even though we lost, our girls played well and the experience of playing at such a famous venue created special memories for the girls. I am so happy for them to have this opportunity.”
To watch the game, click the link on the Bishop Montgomery YouTube channel here.
