As much as I would like to be writing a story about how the Colton girls’ basketball and soccer teams won their first round CIF playoff games, I actually get to write about something even better.

I get to write about how inspiring these teams have been, how much their grit and determination have made covering them an absolute joy.

You see, covering sports is a challenge. The shelf life of a game is extremely short. That means having to watch the game, take copious notes, and consume large amounts of caffeine to make sure the story can be published the morning after the game is played.

Admittedly, sometimes it’s hard to find the inspiration to write a story so quickly, especially when a team has lost. No one wants to report a loss; there is absolutely nothing fun or rewarding about writing about how kids you see in the hallways every day just got beat.

And while the girls’ basketball team lost more than it won this season, and while the girls’ soccer team finished the season with two devastating losses, writing about both squads has left me with a series of highlights:

Madison Barrera’s smile after knocking down one of her high arcing free throws;

Anna Bailey’s inability to look serious anytime I raise the camera to get a photo;

Itaty Morales diving on the floor for loose balls, even when the possession arrow benefits the other team;

Samara Barbosa’s bounce on the pitch, which reminded me of Danny Rojas, the exceptional soccer player on Apple TV’s hit show, “Ted Lasso,” for whom “fútbol is life”;

Savannah Govea’s journey from dominating backcourt matchups in JV games to doing the same against varsity squads;

Zamantha Moctezuma’s crushing kicks when she puts the ball back into play after a save;

Zoey Espino’s unfaltering belief that every shot she takes is going to fall through the net;

The way all the girls on each bench never lose interest in the game, never stop encouraging each other;

How head coaches Keisha Young and Manny Flores encourage their teams to achieve their best by bringing their experience and huge hearts to every speech, every side conversation, every inside joke.

I could go on because I have loved so much about both of these teams this season. What I loved the most is the way they define “team.” 

When Reyna Chavez had her season ended by a speeding driver on Rancho, the girls’ basketball team rallied around their friend, stood up for her at a City Council meeting, and got her a victory versus Bloomington High. They made sure she got to score a basket on Senior Night.

And while the soccer team did not face a tragedy, they dealt with significant injuries to key players, and always lived by the mantra, “next one up.” There was little ego in their play, and they made sure to celebrate each other, no matter the outcome.

One of my favorite moments of the soccer season came during a 4-1 victory over Pacific High School on November 30. The team was rusty after the Thanksgiving break, and in the last minute, Zamantha Moctezuma was caught off guard by a fluke goal that rolled past her. At that moment, Pacific hadn’t taken a shot on goal all half, and Moctezuma was understandably bored. But after the goal was scored, she was embarrassed and mad at herself.

Her teammates pulled her in and didn’t lay blame. They encouraged. They laughed. They moved on. And Moctezuma put up remarkable numbers the rest of the season.

These are the moments that define a great team. Not the wins and losses recorded in the standings, but the wins and losses recorded on their hearts and minds as the season progresses.

And even though both seasons ended with CIF playoff losses, the overall victories make both of these teams champions.