Millard West soccer players and students were able to overcome an early deficit and win against the school’s staff on September 22nd, in a fundraising effort for the Jane Rausch Sandoz Scholarship Fund.

Sandoz was an English teacher at Millard West and also in the Education Academy. She passed away on May 28th, 2015, after a fight against lung cancer.

The game provided entertainment to the fans attending as former student Ian Freeman put the ball into the back of the net to start the match and put the staff on top 1-0.

The students came back with an equalizing strike via sophomore Grace Ostergaard. The score came half way through the first half.

The students continued to attack and dominate possession, and were heavily rewarded. Junior Brock Schulz was able to break through the defense, and roll a shot into the bottom left corner towards the end of the first half and take the lead.

Coming out of halftime, both teams rested up, and ready to play another half hour.

The staff turned up the pressure early on in the second half, and won themselves a penalty, after a bit of physical play inside the 18 yard box, midway through. The spot kick was taken down the middle by boy’s soccer coach Nick Saunders, and was saved by sophomore Kaylee Finlay, as she read the shot well to prevent a goal.

With 15 minutes left in the match, and constant pressure from the staff, the students were able to start and create a few chances to add a brace, and ultimately put the game to bed.

The staff knew it was their time, and put in the rest of their players. The students noticed but took them a moment to realize that they outnumbered roughly 2:1.

The students disregarded the number of people on the pitch, as they whipped a corner into the 18 yard box.

The ball in the air was able to met by the head of junior Zaki Alsharif, and put the ball into the back of the net, to move the scoreline to 3-1 in favor of the students.

“It was nice to score in that game against the staff,” Alsharif said.

After that goal, the students decided to go to full strength, clearing out their bench. It did not take long for the referee long to notice. Senior Jackson McGowan was whistled with less than 10 minutes for a foul. The ref took action and showed him a red card, the only further discipline taken during the match besides a normal foul.

The game drew into the dying moments and the full time whistle was blown marking the end to another memorable game of another year, and another ‘W’ for the students for the third time in the same amount of years.

After admission fees and donations were accepted and counted, over $1000 was raised for the scholarship.
Sandoz will be remembered for her great work with the school and her community.