ROCKY RIVER—Lutheran West senior Morgan Krek couldn’t have asked for a better start to her senior season.
Krek earned the game ball after she scored a goal and added an assist in the Longhorns’ 7-3 win over visiting Open Door Academy in Friday’s season-opener at Alumni Field.
Even without the win, the goal and the assist, Krek would have taken home the game ball after her inspirational return to the field for the first time since her freshman season when she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma.
“Good,” Krek said when asked how it felt to be back on the field. “A few bumps and bruises but nothing I can’t overcome.”
As a freshman, Krek was named honorable mention All-Patriot Athletic Conference and All-Greater Cleveland. Then came the diagnosis and 14 rounds of chemotherapy, 31 radiation treatments and two surgeries.
“The first time I got diagnosed, the first thing I asked about was am I going to lose my hair and my eyebrows. I really wasn’t worried about dying, that wasn’t my first thing, it was am I going to lose my hair.”
Krek did lose her hair but she never lost her will to return to the soccer field.
“Just knowing that if I didn’t get better I might not be able to play soccer again,” Krek said when asked about her thoughts during treatment. “I’ve been playing since I was two. Having that part of you taken away, it’s really life-changing.”
She made the most of her return and she hopes her journey back motivates others to never lose sight of their own opportunities.
“I think the biggest thing I learned is to not take anything for granted,” she said. “Step out on the field and give your entire heart because you never know when it’s going to be over.”
Evelyn Albers added three goals and an assist for the Longhorns and Lorena Zielinski scored twice. Laurel Willard finished with one goal and one assist and Kelly Miles pitched in with an assist.
Angelina Klopp recorded 10 saves in the win.
Megan Hoffman contributed to this story.
