On September 3, the Quincy Jacks launched their 2026 season with a convincing 2-0 victory over the Moses Lake Mavericks at home. This win marks a promising start for the Jacks, who are now 1-0 in the early stages of the season. New Head Coach Javier Diaz expressed his excitement following the match, emphasizing the importance of this victory as a potential foundation for the season ahead.
Diaz remarked, "It was great. I think it’s going to hopefully set the tone on things that we look forward to this season. We have a great group, and we’re just wanting to take this game as maybe a starting point to see where we can go, but just to start like that, it’s good — I’m optimistic." The Jacks displayed an aggressive approach from the outset, combining a strong defensive strategy with a sharp offensive attack.
The scoring began with freshman Allanah Longwill, who netted the first goal of the match, putting Quincy ahead early on. Despite the Mavericks dominating possession for much of the first half, the Jacks' defense held firm, thwarting several attempts by Moses Lake to equalize.
In the second half, the momentum continued in favor of Quincy. A penalty committed by the Mavericks in their own box allowed Longwill to convert a penalty kick, extending the Jacks' lead to 2-0. The Jacks maintained their shutout, successfully keeping the Mavericks from scoring for the remainder of the match, thus securing their first win of the season.
Coach Diaz praised his team's defensive efforts, stating, "Our defense is really great, and that’s why we started with the formation that we did because we have a lot of faith in our backline. They’re very disciplined; they have speed, grit, and physicality." The Jacks' defense, led by their goalkeeper Aylen Garcia, who made several crucial saves, proved to be a key factor in their victory.
Garcia’s performance in goal was highlighted by Diaz, who noted that the challenges she faced during the match would serve to bolster her confidence as the season progresses. "It’ll help with her confidence. We’ve only had seven practices, and we started last week as a team, but I think this game is going to be a really good confidence booster for her to reflect back on that and let her know, ‘Hey, you did great here,’" he said.
Allanah Longwill's impact as a freshman was significant, as she scored both goals for the Jacks. Her sister, Briellah Longwill, played a pivotal role in defense, creating a strong dynamic between the two siblings on the field. Coach Diaz commented on their synergy, stating, "That helps their dynamic because Briellah is a great defender, and then Allanah is a great striker. It’s going to be a special season with those two, and with all the girls."
On the other side, the Mavericks, now 0-1, faced disappointment in their season opener but found solace in the positive aspects of their performance. Head Coach Alysha Overland acknowledged the challenges of starting the season with a loss but remained optimistic about the potential shown by her team. "Of course it’s not easy to start the season off on a loss, but we saw a lot of good things out there," she said.
Despite failing to score, the Mavericks exhibited strong offensive play, creating numerous scoring opportunities. Overland emphasized the need for her team to capitalize on these chances moving forward, saying, "At the end of the day, we created a lot of opportunities, a lot of one-on-one opportunities. Now we just got to crush the box and finish it all the way through until it goes in the goal."
Both teams are set to return to action on Thursday, with the Mavericks traveling to face Mt. Spokane at 6:30 p.m., while the Jacks will host Chelan at 6 p.m. Coach Diaz remains focused on continuous improvement, believing that this victory will provide a confidence boost as they progress through the season.
In summary, the Jacks' strong start and the promising signs from the Mavericks set the stage for an exciting season ahead.
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