Touring the H.S. girls soccer camps: Mahwah

As the Mahwah girls soccer forward’s senior season approaches, she’s not taking any moment on the field for granted.

It’s been a long road for Himpele to get back to 100 percent healthy. Her talent and athleticism were promising early in her career, particularly after scoring the late game-winning goal as a freshman in the North 1, Group 3 quarterfinals on the road against rival Ramapo. Even now, Himpele smiles and just refers to it as “The Ramapo Game.”

But bad luck has followed her since.

First, it was a torn ACL suffered while skiing following her freshman season. She wasn’t informed it was fully torn until months later — once spring soccer rolled around — and a nine-month rehab ensued. It cost her entire sophomore season.

More misfortune followed early in her junior season. She suffered a concussion in the Thunderbirds’ first scrimmage of the summer. Once recovered, she sprained her ankle early in the regular season — a six-to-eight week recovery — costing Himpele the rest of the campaign.

“It’s all definitely been tough and definitely been frustrating,” said Himpele, who still attended nearly every Mahwah game and practice the past two years. “After finding out about each injury, I just got so upset each time. I had never really been hurt before like that. It was hard to deal with, but I’ve gotten through it.”

Her injury-plagued past certainly is hard to notice these days. Voted team captain by her peers this summer despite missing almost all of the last two seasons, Himpele stands out on a talent-laden Mahwah squad surrounded by Sarah Jordan, Hannah Busch and Immaculate Heart transfer Hayley Baer.

“Even with all she’s been through, she’s still this extremely positive kid who works so hard on and off the field,” Mahwah coach Courtney Carrelha said. “We’re all excited to have her back healthy again because it sounds like she wants it more than ever and has worked so hard to get back to this point.”

Her on-field actions indicate as much.

Himpele, arguably the Thunderbirds’ fastest player, is the first to finish conditioning sprints. She shows no hesitation when inevitable contact is approaching in the box. There’s no fear in her game, despite her past. It’s just how she plays.

“It’s who I am,” Himpele said. “The worst thing in the world was sitting on that bench. I was like jealous of everyone who got to be out there. But being out makes me just want to go harder now. I want to come back and prove to everyone and show everyone like, ‘Oh, she’s back. She’s ready.’ That’s just how I’ve always been. It’s my mind-set.”

Carrelha called Himpele a “lights-out kid” who “should be a threat up top with her speed, tenacity and desire to win.” Firmly entrenched as a preseason top 10 team in The Record preseason Top 25, the Thunderbirds are looking to build off last year’s 15-4-2 campaign, which included a Big North Patriot Division title and a run to the North 1, Group 2 final before falling to eventual Group 2 state champion Ramapo.

Himpele figures to become a big piece to the puzzle in an offense expected to find the net often.

And no one is more eager for the season to get going.

“I feel good and I feel strong,” Himpele said. “Sometimes people come back from injuries and they’re hesitant. But it really hasn’t changed me. Now I’m here. I’m healthy. And I’m ready to get back out there again.”