Hart Had Quality With Qualls

It took Oliver Germond a very short time to realize that Laura Qualls was something special on the soccer field.

More than three years later, others know it, too.

Qualls, a senior midfielder at Hart High and The Times’ girls’ soccer player of the year in the region, had 31 goals and 24 assists this season.

She helped the Indians to their fourth consecutive Foothill League title and a berth in the Southern Section Division I title match.

“I’m going to miss Laura; I’ve seen her grow up,” said Germond, who became Hart’s coach when Qualls was a freshman. “That first day of tryouts, I put her with the other new players and she scored about six goals in five minutes. I knew she’d be wasting her time if she wasn’t starting on the varsity.”

Qualls remembers worrying that she wouldn’t make the team.

“I was really shy and I didn’t know what I was up against,” Qualls said.

This season, Hart’s opponents were left wondering what hit them.

Although the Indians were moved from Division III to Division I, they won their fourth consecutive Foothill League title and stormed through the playoffs before falling to Los Alamitos in the final.

Qualls was selected the league’s player of the year and earned All-Southern Section Division I honors.

“She’s a very aggressive player offensively,” Germond said. “She pushes her way through people and she uses her body real well to shield the ball. And she has a great shot.”

Even knowing Qualls was key to the Indians’ attack, few opponents could defend her.

“I was obsessed with getting to the finals; it was my last chance,” Qualls said. “This year’s team was more willing to work hard. There wasn’t a lot of goofing around because we had a goal and we wanted to accomplish it.”

* THE TEAMS

First- and second-team members and coaches of the year. C14