Athlete of the Week: Olympic Heights freshman Francesca Rojas piling up goals
Meet The Post's latest Athlete of the Week – Francesca Rojas of Olympic Heights girls soccer!
Rojas won 73.62 percent of votes in last week's poll after scoring three goals in two games – including the game-winner in a 1-0 match against a then-undefeated Suncoast (8-3-4).
Although she's just a freshman, Rojas has come in clutch throughout the season to prove that she can step up in key moments and deliver, earning the respect and praise of her new varsity teammates and coach Jim Cappello.
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"Coming into my freshman season, I wasn't really nervous. I was excited to be part of the varsity team," Rojas said.
One of two freshmen on the roster, Cappello said that Rojas "had a lot of learning to do," but that she adjusted quickly.
Rojas has emerged as a stat leader for both the Lions and Palm Beach County, totaling 31 goals and 68 points on the season.
"I've been playing soccer my whole life and worked really hard to be where I'm at so I'm really happy," Rojas said, "very proud" of her accomplishments in her young preps career.
"Francesca has been instrumental to the success of our team every week," Cappello said.
Rojas' contributions on the field have allowed for Olympic Heights' most successful season in at least a decade, boasting a 20-1-2 record.
The Lions are now on their second seven match win streak of the year and are anticipating a playoff match against Seminole Ridge (14-3-3) on Feb. 1. The teams tied 1-1 during the regular season.
Now that Rojas has found her stride, posting 10 goals in her last five appearances, the two-seed Lions could see a different outcome against the Hawks en route to a potential district championship in Class 6A.
"At 5-foot-10, she is a beast on the field and we are happy she is on our team and we're not forced to defend her," Cappello said.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Athlete of the Week: Olympic Heights freshman Francesca Rojas shows no fear
