Top UPrep players are putting Redding on the soccer map

A lot of people in the high school and club soccer world may not know where Redding, Calif., is located, and they may not have heard of University Preparatory School, but that's about to change. In fact, it should have changed a long time ago. The Panthers, over the last decade, have been winning at an incredible rate. Over the last 10 seasons, the girls soccer team has gone 181-19-11. They have won their last 12 matches by a score of 70-1, and this includes schools many times bigger than them. If UPrep isn't on your radar, it needs to be. After receiving the No. 8 seed in NorCal's Division V, essentially being seeded as the last team into the tournament, the Panthers traveled south nearly 3 1/2 hours to San Francisco and soundly beat top-seeded Washington, winning 3-0. The culture shift began about 15 years ago when Rich Bourne became the coach and when tournament teams started popping up in Redding, and since then the landscape in Northern California changed. "We have really been blessed with great talent and great kids," Bourne said. "I really don't care about the record and all that, I just care that we have great kids playing in our program." [caption id="attachment_39900" align="alignright" width="182"]<img class=" wp-image-39900" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/03/IMG_8610-201x300.jpg" alt="" width="182" height="271" /> <strong>Ellie Farber.</strong> <em>Photo: Doug Wenham</em>[/caption] Bourne, the self-defined maniac, is from England and is known for being very playfully animated on the sidelines, known for talking to corner flags and otherwise displaying how much he loves this game. "It's not just a game for us, it's our soul," Bourne said. "It's what you believe is inside yourself." Bourne was also not surprised when his team upset the top seed in the bracket, as he knew his team was as good, or better than other teams in the tournament. And he has four standout players that have helped lead the team into Thursday's semifinal match at Kimball High. <strong>Ryanne Ampi, Senior, Defender</strong> Ampi, one of the team captains, used to be a standout forward, but her club team, the Davis Legacy ECNL team, moved her to defender and now she is perhaps the best one in the Northern Section. She's a very solid and sound defender, a good ball-winner and on top of that, she is very, very fast and uses her speed to beat attackers. Ampi is committed to play at Eastern Washington University. <strong>Ellie Farber, Junior, Midfielder</strong> Farber is what you want out of a midfielder. She is very technical with a wonderful knowledge of the game. She is a great winner of the ball in the midfield, can change the point of attack, and has great patience and vision. She is a tough player who is a very steady force for the Panthers. [caption id="attachment_39901" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-39901" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/03/IMG_9838-300x230.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="230" /> <strong>Becca Gaido.</strong> <em>Photo: Robert Rappaport</em>[/caption] <strong>Becca Gaido, Senior, Midfielder</strong> Gaido is a do-it-all player for the Panthers as she can score and distribute. She has scored 10 goals this season and has 13 assists to go with it. She is a very technically gifted player, and beyond her physical gifts of being able to see the field and operate in tight spaces, she knows the game very well. Gaido, a captain who plays ECNL with Davis Legacy, is headed to Eastern Washington University along with Ampi. <strong>Isabell Lendman, Senior, Forward</strong> Lendman, also a captain, scored 29 goals this season for UPrep, including a hat trick in the 3-0 win against Washington on Tuesday. She is a very fast player, who has great instincts, knows how to change direction quickly, and can get her shot off from just about anywhere. St. Mary's College has recently expressed interest in Lendman. &nbsp;