Milestones are important to recognize and celebrate. They allow us to take a step back, take stock of things and, perhaps most importantly, they provide perspective.
Alaina Miller’s 100-career point milestone is a significant personal achievement and a testament to her hard work, her perseverance and her God-given talents. But what makes it even more meaningful is that not only did the accomplishment originate from the team concept, but its effects have also enhanced the Cedar Crest girls’ soccer team’s collective success.
“I think a lot of it has to do with hard work during the off-season, putting in time with club teams and how I do finishing during the high school season,” said Miller, a senior striker for the Falcons. “It’s absolutely a wonderful accomplishment for myself. But I’m glad I’ve been able to do that much to help the team.”
On Aug. 28, during an early season non-league contest at Twin Valley, Miller notched the 100th point of her scholastic career with a goal, 10 minutes into the second half of a 3-0 Cedar Crest triumph. Miller possessed the ball, dribbled it around the Twin Valley goalie and tapped it into the net.
She then assisted on the Falcons’ final two goals.
“I knew going in that I was close, but I didn’t realize it in the moment,” said Miller of the career mark. “But I looked over at my grandmother (Susie Auman) and she was holding up a sign that said, ‘Way to Go, AK. 100 points!’ The first half hadn’t gone great for us, so I was just relieved we were finally up a goal. I wasn’t really thinking about (the milestone).”
Currently, Miller has netted 18 goals for Cedar Crest this season and has assisted on six other Falcon tallies. For her career, she has 56 goals and 24 assists.
“I was doing my best to rack up points in my freshman and sophomore years,” said Miller. “But I began to realize how close I was to 100 hundred points at the end of my junior season.”
“I know there’s not been a ton (of 100-point scorers) in school history,” added Miller. “I know it’s not that great of an accomplishment, but I’m still proud of myself regardless.”
A versatile performer, Miller’s importance to the Falcons can’t be measured by goals, assists or statistics. Currently, Cedar Crest stands at 9-2 overall, second in Section One of the Lancaster-Lebanon League with a 4-1 league mark and seventh in the District Three Class AAAA power rankings.
“I’m a captain, so leadership is a big part of it,” said Miller. “I want to keep practice fun. In games, I try to get a lot of opportunities for my teammates and score goals. If there’s a pass opportunity, 90 percent of the time I’m going to play it. I will try to avoid taking it myself.”
“As long as I’ve been around, our team hasn’t done the best,” Miller continued. “I think our record this season has to do with our team chemistry. I think that’s been the key. It’s something we hope to continue.”
Miller, who started playing soccer when she was 6, has been a sprinter on the Cedar Crest track and field team and been involved with key club, national honor society and Students for Christ at CCHS. She would like to play soccer on the next level, at either McDaniel College or York College, while pursuing a degree in the medical field or the health science field.
“It’s not easy,” said Miller of soccer. “It takes a lot of work. But just because I hit 100 points doesn’t mean I’m done.”
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