SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The name Simien is synonymous with excellence in Northside soccer.
Senior forward Isaiah and sophomore midfielder Alyssa Simien both lead District 28-6A in goals scored this season -- Isaiah has scored 32 goals, while Alyssa has tallied 29.
"The guys have been feeding me balls and trusting in me to deliver," Isaiah said. "I'm the captain, I'm the leader and their faith in me helps me succeed. It's a real relief when I know they have my back and I've got theirs. At the end of the day, it's not about who scores, it's about which team comes out on top. It's all about the team."
Fresh off a district title in 2018, the Warriors came into 2019 with high expectations, and though another district title has eluded them this season, Isaiah has played a key role in the team's success.
"I've grown not only physically but mentally stronger at the game I play," Isaiah explained. "I make sure my head's on right every time I'm on the field. The atmosphere is different when you're older. The guys look up to you, and I set the tone for our play style and how we act. You've got to do right, act right and make sure you're doing everything well."
Meanwhile, Alyssa has emerged as a star in her second high school season -- more than doubling her scoring output from a year ago.
"I've improved by getting my shots off earlier than I did last year," Alyssa said. "It helps create so many more opportunities not only for me, but for others up at the top."
The biggest reason for their offensive success: each other. Both Isaiah and Alyssa have kept close tabs on how many goals they have throughout the season, developing a sibling rivalry as a result.
"If he has the early game, I'll always text my dad and ask, 'How many goals does he have? How many goals do I need to get ahead of him?'" Alyssa explained. "He'll tell me, and that's my fire to go and get what I need. I love the pressure because it gives me something to look forward to, and I have to be able to function under pressure, so it helps me in the long run. And it's just fun."
"We get home and we're always talking mess to each other," Isaiah said. "It's all love. We just compete with each other to make each other better. We strive to be better in everything."
That competitive fire has fueled their collective growth, and just as importantly, helped them grow closer together.
"Recently, I started going to the gym at 4:30 a.m. to help out my quickness and strength and limit my injuries," Isaiah said. "I get her in there every now and then as well, and we just try to get better as much as we can. She comes to me and asks which moves she could have done better. We talk about how to release faster, where we should be shooting instead of taking more touches -- just analyzing each other from different points of view. I've got to make sure she's doing things right because she's my sister. I make sure she's got her head on right and is performing to the best of her abilities."
"We talk to each other after every game, and he's always nice to me," Alyssa said. "Of course if I have a bad game, he will let me know what I need to do to get better, but he's always there for me."
"He's been great for her," said Warren girls soccer head coach Teresa Pena. "Even watching them last season, there were times where she had tears in her eyes and he walked up to embrace her. He's incredibly hard on her, but he's also a great support system. It's touching to be able to see that as competitive as they are with one another, they're definitely still there for each other."
"They're goofy, they're good kids and they're fun to be around," explained Warren boys soccer head coach Roberto Perez. "They're a special talent. You don't run into these type of players very often, and their bond makes it even more special."
The Warren boys soccer team will wrap up their regular season this Tuesday against Clark at 5 p.m. The Lady Warriors team will take the field next, playing their final game against the Cougars at 7 p.m.