NATCHEZ — Entering the 2015 soccer season, the Cathedral Lady Wave found themselves behind the eight-ball.

After making the move from the Mississippi High School Activities Association into the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools, soccer season was suddenly put on the fall radar, which was new for Cathedral after being used to playing as a winter sport.

“We were out of shape, not used to playing in the heat and were about two months behind everybody,” Cathedral head coach Beth Foster said. “We weren’t prepared at all and we were about two months behind.”

But that didn’t discourage the Lady Wave. With a core group of players, Cathedral acclimated and has fought all the way to the top of the district.

“I think it is because the team was trying to catch up and was determined to get where everyone else was,” Foster said. “I have a good group that leads and pushes practices. They even want to stay after practice and continue to get better.”

Leading the push are two seniors Paige Foster and Abby Brown, who have been instrumental in the team’s success this season.

“We have been playing together and we have that want to win,” Paige Foster said. “We know each other really well and have bonded as a team.”

Paige Foster said this year is especially important to her because it is the last time she will have the chance to play for Cathedral.

“It is really special, but really sad with it being my last time,” Foster said. “I really want to win. Winning district is the first step, but going further would be pretty cool, too.”

Beth Foster believes the team has the potential to reach those goals.

“I feel like they can go far, I really do,” she said. “It took us a while, even though we were playing games, it was still like practice. But now they are getting into the groove. Now, they know where each other will be on the field and have confidence in each other. At the beginning, we were just trying to figure things out.”

Tied for first in their district not only has the team talking, but their coach listening as well.

“I hear them talking about their want of going as far as they can, and I think we could do it. It would be tremendous.” Beth Foster said.