Highline sports teams are off to a strong start as the fall season is in full swing.

The women’s soccer team is on fire, starting the season 5-0-1. Andrea Guiton leads the team with five goals.

“Andrea is super calm on the ball, she takes time to focus on her technique and placement which I really admire,” said teammate Isabelle White.

Technically, the Lady T-Birds are the defending NWAC champions, having won it all the last time the league played a full season in 2019. But this year, it’s a new, young team, said Head Coach Tom Moore.

“I think we are very young, but have found a common understanding of what we want to accomplish,” Moore said. “Now, it’s just about how to stay consistent.”

The Lady T-Birds won their last match on Sept. 25 vs. Bellevue, 3-1, with one goal apiece for Guiton, Dakne Blanco-Ramirez, and Cassandra Decker. 

“We fight for the ball and we don’t stop until the ball is in the back of the net, we strive to dominate the game,” said forward Isabelle White.

The team played at Lower Columbia on Wednesday, with results unavailable at press time. 

“They gave us a good game in the spring. They are hard workers and it’s always a tough game when we play them,” said White.

Highline visits Grays Harbor on Oct. 2 and is at Pierce on Oct. 6. 

The men’s team, meanwhile, is 4-3 to start the season. After a fast start, the team has dropped three of its last four games. 

The team is led by Alex Velasco with six goals and three assists. 

“Alex has shown a lot of improvements since his freshman season. He understands the game well and where he can really impact it,” said Head Coach Stephen Mohn. “He is very dangerous in the attack and does a great job getting himself and his teammates into dangerous areas.”

The team hopes to bounce back after their 2-1 loss to Peninsula on Saturday.

“Peninsula is a very good and organized team. They were the 2019 NWAC champions for a reason. Hats off to them for the victory,” said Coach Mohn. 

The T-Birds hosted Tacoma at Starfire on Wednesday, with results unavailable at press time. 

“Games against Tacoma is always a tough match. They are our in-division rival, and it is always a battle,” he said.

Highline next plays at Pierce on Oct. 6. 

In volleyball, the Lady T-Birds are 7-6 on the season so far and coming off their first conference victory of the season.

Highline defeated Centralia 3-0 with Kiani Hensley and Bethany Tuchardt leading the T-Birds with four kills each.

The team’s statistical leaders so far are Khadijah Morgan with 83 kills, Lauren Clark leads the assists category with 336, and Kylie Lunday with 16 blocks.

Highline visited Green River on Wednesday, with results unavailable at press time. 

Highline hosts Tacoma at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1 in the Pavilion. They then host South Puget Sound on Oct. 6, also at 6 p.m. 

The 2021 women’s golf team began its season on Sept. 26-27 with the Highline Invitational at Moses Pointe at Moses Lake. 

“Brooklyn Grant was our only golfer to participate. She finsished tied for fourth in the tournament shooting rounds of 88 and 81,” said Head Coach Steve Turcotte.

The tournament was ultimately won by the Spokane golf team.

The Lady T-Birds have two more tournaments in the fall, Oct. 11-12 at the Bigfoot Invitational in Spokane and the Oct. 17-18 NWAC Preview at Apple Tree in Yakima.

The team will have its full roster of three players for those last two tournaments with Faylisa Valle and Ashlynn Verhaaren.

“Team chemistry is great as these ladies have played together for a full year with practices and tournaments,” Coach Turcotte said.