from the lakeland Iedger

It was early in the second half of the girls soccer regional semifinal game between George Jenkins and Winter Haven. Anna Rombola just made a run through the Eagles' defense and scored to put the Blue Devils up, 2-1.

Two goals is often good enough in a match-up between top soccer teams, and Kayla Bala knew it.

"When they scored their second goal, I was like, 'Dang, this could be my last game,'" she said. "I just wasn't going to have it. We're not going to lose against our rivals, and that's not going to be my last game. I was really scared. That was the only time I was legitimately scared. It was a good test for us."

Bala, who signed with the University of Florida in the fall, did what is expected from a player of her caliber. With just less than 10 minutes to play, she scored the game-tying goal and the Eagles completed their comeback to defeat the Blue Devils.

In four years of high school, Bala was one of the top players in the county.

Bala is The Ledger's 2008-09 Girls Soccer Player of the Year. The Eagles' top scorer, she finished the season with 33 goals and 35 assists, up from 32 goals and 16 assists as a junior. The Eagles finished the regular season undefeated and made a second consecutive trip to the state championship. For that reason, coach Joe Lenard is The Ledger's Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.

Expectations have always been high for Bala, an Olympic Development player who entered high school with the reputation of being a top player. She said she felt the pressure to live up to the billing but also knew that she was surrounded by older teammates who picked up the slack if she had an off game, especially three-time county player of the year Kayla Grimsley.

With Grimsley gone this season, Bala felt the pressure to succeed.

"It was stressful. I knew every day, I had to do my job on the field," she said. "But sometimes, I wouldn't be having a good game, and my teammates would carry me through, which was awesome."

Being the leader of the team was a new experience for her, and it was something that she nearly didn't experience as she considered sitting out her senior year. Needless to say, she's glad she changed her mind.

"I think I was scared because Kayla Grimsley had left, and I felt like it was going to be me because last year, me and her had a lot to do with our success," Bala said. "But this year, our team just stepped up so much and the freshmen did a really good job."

If Bala had qualms about being a leader, Lenard didn't share them.

"She did a great job," Lenard said. "Kayla definitely just wants to go out and play, but she knew that she had to be more of a leader now that Kayla G. had left. She did a fantastic job."

Early in the season, it wasn't evident to Bala that the season would turn out like it did.

"It was pretty frustrating at first," she said. "There were a lot of times I would go home and cry because I was really frustrated. Being a leader this year, I really had to step up. It started to come together about halfway through the season, and I didn't feel frustrated any more."

Bala's senior season turned out better than she expected, and she kept praising her younger teammates for the way the year turned out, at one point saying that they "would run through a brick wall for any of the upperclassmen."

That desire was evident on the soccer field as the Eagles went undefeated until the state tournament, losing in the semifinals to Palm Harbor University, 3-1, to finish 25-1-1. Although the Eagles came up short in their bid to repeat as state champions, it did not tarnish the season.

"It was so awesome because no one thought we could do it," Bala said. "Just getting to the regional finals, I was so happy. I think this year was more satisfaction."

The pressure will be on Bala again in college, but this time it will be somewhat self-inflicted. Her goal is to start as a freshman.

"That's my biggest thing right now, so I'm going to get fit," she said. "I'm excited about the college life. It's going to be so much different than high school. I can't wait."