SENIOR YEAR THROUGH HER EYES: Tori Robertson's terrific senior season leaves legacy at Somerset High

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Somerset's Tori Robertson dribbles the ball upfield during a game for the Lady Jumpers.

Rewind back to the end of the 2023 soccer season. Somerset junior Tori Robertson had just won the 2023 Commonwealth Journal Player of the Year award after scoring 34 goals and dishing out 23 assists. A spectacular season, but one that ended in the regional semifinals. With one more high school season left, the soon-to-be committed to University of Cumberlands rising senior had little idea of the legacy her final year would leave at Somerset High School. Before getting to the beginning of her senior season, a massive change took place as long time coach Steven Watkins stepped down. Imagine Robertson's surprise then, that her dad Ben Robertson took the mantle as the head coach for her final season in the Purple and Gold.

"I was so excited! It was sad to see Watkins go, as he played a big role in my success at Somerset, but I was going to get to experience my senior season with my dad on the sidelines, something I could cherish for the rest of my life," she explained.

Fast forward to that very first practice, her last first practice of her high school career, and Robertson, although focused, just wanted to have fun with her team and some of her best friends.

"My main mindset at the very first practice of my senior season was to have fun. I knew it was going to be the last season I had with my best friends before playing in college, and I wanted to cherish every last moment of it," she stated.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Somerset's Tori Robertson fires a shot towards the goal during a game for the Lady Jumpers.

Her first game of the season, a home 7-0 victory over South Laurel, saw Robertson score a hat trick, but few would know these would be just the first three goals on the way to a season that saw Robertson break not only the single-season scoring record but the career scoring record at Somerset, a record held by former Jumper great Audrey Anderson. Unfortunately, her run at history was almost derailed from the get-go as she suffered a painful bone bruise in her knee before that first game.

"I was always aware of the scoring record held by Audrey, as she was someone I looked up to and watched from the sidelines growing up. Her record was incredible, but felt out of reach heading into the season. But when I suffered a bone bruise in my knee heading into the South Laurel game and I could barely able to drop back on defense or run off the ball at all, but still managed to score a hat trick, that is when I knew I could break that record," she elucidated.

She continued throughout her senior season, scoring in bunches with multiple hat tricks and even some games where she would score a double hat trick, but it was obvious that knee was still hampering her play. Robertson noted she battled through the injury but kept seeing the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

"I knew the injury was going to be a battle, but it was something I was willing to manage for the first few weeks of the season. As the season progressed, and my injury started to heal, it was only uphill from there," she mentioned.

As the season began to wind down, Robertson was drawing ever so close to not only the single-season scoring record, but the career record held by Anderson at 134. It was during their regular season finale that she toppled the single-season record by scoring all five goals against Lincoln County, while the career record would be toppled a game later in the 47th District Semifinals against Rockcastle County, where she scored four goals to rise to 135 total goals in her career, giving her the record at Somerset High School. Robertson was extremely thankful for the honor during the moment, and now hopes other athletes can use the record for inspiration as well.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Somerset's Tori Robertson (left) celebrates with her teammate Isabella McKenzie (right) after breaking the career scoring mark at Somerset High School during the season.

"It was such an honor. I'm so thankful that I was able to play every game of my senior season to make it happen. Being in the record books is not only something I'll never take for granted, but something I've learned a lot from and hope others can learn from it too. Hard work will always end in good results," she explained.

The following game saw the Jumpers take down their crosstown rivals Pulaski County for the 47th District title with a 3-0 victory, ensuring a perfect 12-0 record in the careers of the senior class. That perfect record was something that Robertson said in a spirited fashion was never in doubt.

"Being in the 12th Region amongst a couple teams that we know are far ahead of us, we always talk at the beginning of the season of our 'reachable goals.' Going 3-0 against PC in the season and securing the district title is one of the main goals, so it always feels great when that happens. That being said, there was never a doubt! We knew that if we could take care of the small things this year against them we could pull of that 12-0 record," she remarked.

Then came the regional tournament, and although Somerset managed to get by Wayne County in the first round, there came a major roadblock in the form of the West Jessamine Colts. Although the hosting Jumpers were hopeful, they saw their season unfortunately come to an end courtesy of an 8-0 blowout. Robertson saw the time tick down on her high school career, and fittingly embraced her mom on the sidelines before finding her dad (and coach) at midfield to share a hug and what was a special moment for the father and daughter duo that had been sharing the love of soccer all of their lives together. As she walked off the pitch at Clara Morrow Field one last time, Robertson was not only thankful of the memories she had made, but hopeful of what should be a bright future ahead.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Somerset's Tori Robertson embraces her dad and head coach Ben Robertson after the Lady Jumpers were eliminated in the 12th Region Tournament.

"The best word to describe that moment was bittersweet. Somerset is such a great program filled with so many memorable traditions and bonds that I will cherish forever. But for me, soccer is so much more than a sport. It has given me so many life lessons and skills I will never forget. Getting to play with the friends I grew up with is something that is going to be so hard to let go, but I say bittersweet because there are bigger things coming. I knew it was the start of an exciting future ahead of me and I can't wait to see what God has in store for me," she exclaimed.

73 goals and 14 assists for her senior season. 141 goals and 64 assists for her career. Two-time CJ Player of the Year. All-State First Team in her senior season. One indelible legacy. Tori not only will have her name in the record books for generations to come at Somerset High School, but just as she looked up to Audrey Anderson while she was growing up, there is no doubt some young players that will look up to Tori. That is a piece of her legacy that will live on for a lifetime. While her career at Somerset may be over, the soccer career of Robertson is far from over, and while she may be 'jumping' over to college to become a Patriot, every one in this small little town of Somerset will always remember the terrific career of number 10.

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