COLLINSVILLE — Jada Smith and Caroline Green have nearly identical stories about what it was like playing on the West Lauderdale soccer team as seventh graders.

“I was very intimidated by the older girls and almost scared to touch the ball,” Smith recalled.

Said Green, “It was very intimidating. It’s different now because the program has grown so much and everyone is talented, so you can lose your spot if you don’t work hard. Back then, there were 11 seniors, so the starters were set.”

Now, Smith and Green are the lone seniors on the Lady Knights. They’ve been a part of two MHSAA Class 4A state championship teams and were also on last season’s squad that lost to Florence in the title game. With their high school soccer careers soon coming to a close, both are determined to cap off the season with another Class 4A crown.

“After that game (against Florence), I could see it in their eyes, their disappointment,” Lady Knights coach Alex George said. “They’ve been our strongest leaders and have become more vocal. They’ve had a direct impact toward keeping the girls focused on our goal.”

Green said she and Smith feel a responsibility to help make sure this season doesn’t end in disappointment.

“We’ve been talking to them and explaining how we don’t want that to happen again,” Green said. “Hopefully this year we’ll win. We’re not taking it for granted.”

For Smith, the loss left a bitter taste in her mouth, but it also gave her extra motivation going into her senior year.

“It was very hard to take,” Smith said. “We didn’t go into the game thinking we would lose, and it sort of changed our attitude. We’ve pushed ourselves much harder because we don’t want that same feeling.”

But the two seniors’ impact has been felt beyond simply motivating the team, and that goes back to when they were earning playing time in the seventh grade.

“By the eighth grade they were in the lineup,” George said. “For them to be leaders for this many years, it’s amazing. They’re two of the most classy ladies you’ll find. We couldn’t ask for better girls as far as character on and off the field. Their straight-A students who come from wonderful families, and they’ve really been a blessing for us.”

George said Smith’s strong physical presence at center forward allows her to hold off multiple defenders, and she can turn and strike the ball on a moment’s notice. As for Green, her speed and ability to seemingly never tire out makes her an asset both offensively and defensively.

“They’re the caliber of players that you can’t replace, and we’ll miss them so much,” George said.

Smith and Green have been playing soccer together since they were young, which has allowed them to develop a special bond that flourished more by the time they got the chance to play for the high school team.

“She’s so funny, and she’s an amazing soccer player,” Green said of Smith. “I couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone else. She’s one of my best friends, and I think it’s nice that it’s just the two of us so we can lean on each other. I know she’s there, and we play well together.”

Smith described Green the same way, and in addition to becoming friends, the two have also come to admire each other’s skills as soccer players.

“We’ve been playing together since U10, so our chemistry has always been there. She’s very funny and talkative,” Smith said with a laugh. “She’s always talking. As a player, she’s very quick and strong.”

Playing for West Lauderdale has been a blessing, Smith said, one she wouldn’t trade for anything.

“It’s been so amazing — the best years of my life,” Smith said. “There have been ups and downs, but overall I love it. It’s like a family. We all love each other.”

Winning state championships in 2016 and 2017 were especially fun, Smith added.

“It was very special making school history,” Smith said. “I’m happy to have been a part of that history.”

The two have one more chance to make history this season, but with that opportunity comes the knowledge that their high school careers will also be drawing to a close.

“It makes me sad,” Green said. “The final game is the one that matters the most, but all the games are still fun. I hope they don’t go by so fast.”

Smith signed with Jones College to continue her soccer career, and although she’ll miss playing for West Lauderdale, she’s eagerly anticipating the chance to play for the defending MACJC state champions.

“It means a lot,” Smith said. “I want to train with the best and be the best, so I’m very excited for that.”

Green, on the other hand, will hang up her soccer cleats after high school and attend Alabama as a regular student. She hopes to eventually become an orthodontist.

“I’m sad my career is ending because it’s been the most amazing thing,” Green said. “I’ve met so many people, and I’ll cherish the memories, and I’ll be sad that I won’t get to play alongside my sister (junior Lucy Green) anymore.”