Athlete of the Week: Amia Ocanas plays hero for Glades Day soccer
BELLE GLADE — Amia Ocanas has nearly as many goals scored as games Glades Day girls soccer has played.
On a team with a whopping 16 underclassmen, including several varsity players still in middle school, Ocanas has buoyed a young program that lost leading goal-scorer Hana Lohmann to graduation last year.
December's senior night savior kicked a game-tying goal against Moore Haven moments before the final whistle in what was an encore to an inspiring week of play from Ocanas.
"I was so grateful for Amia," said teammate Kinley Seider, who assisted Ocanas' goal. "I was like, 'Thank God she's on this team, thank God she did that.' She's an amazing player and she really deserves this Athlete of the Week."
Ocanas told The Post she found out she won Athlete of the Week recognition via a text from her mother, which led to surprise and joy for the freshman.
"It means a lot because I never thought I would win this," Ocanas said. "I never thought it would be me."
In addition to her heroics against Moore Haven, Ocanas helped her team fulfill an early Christmas miracle the week before.
After a four-goal performance against overmatched Trinity Christian Academy, the Gators went down 2-0 with 10 minutes to play against Okeechobee.
Ocanas, who has the versatility to play everywhere on the field, had been playing defense — needing a threat in the final third, head coach Angee Lohmann rotated her into a forward position with the game on the line.
"I just tell her, 'Get the ball, tap it through, have confidence, take the shots,'" Lohmann said. "And she did that that day. She did it three times."
Three goals in 10 minutes from the freshman to secure three points and a win for the Gators in what essentially cemented her bid for The Post's weekly award recognition. Not a bad day.
"I think I score goals later in the game because that's when I see time is running out and I don't want to lose," Ocanas said.
As the saying goes, sometimes wanting to win isn't as powerful a motivator as hating to lose.
Ocanas has since powered the Gators to three straight wins with a 7-0 aggregate score, as Glades Day looks toward the playoffs on the strength of a 10-3-2 record.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Amia Ocanas is Glades Day's clutch factor amid win streak
