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| Lake's Tara Preble. 10/29/08 (Photo: Aaron Carpenter/Sentinel-Tribune) |
MILLBURY - The good news for Lake High School girls soccer coach Steve Hoffman is 22-goal scorer Drew Plummer returns.
The bad news is he lost 16-goal scorer Heather Cox, along with six others from his 2008 Suburban Lakes League championship squad.
Lake, 12-4-4 in Hoffman's first season at the helm, was 6-0-2 in the SLL.
Like the Flyers' boys soccer team, it was a big turnaround season, as the girls were 3-13-1 in 2007.
"Winning taught the kids that we can turn things around and be successful," Hoffman said. "Lake is a tradition-rich area for soccer and the enthusiasm for soccer is there in the school now É it's definitely helped build up our program."
One of the big reasons for that success that took Lake past the sectional for the first time, all the way to the regional semifinals, was due in large part to the play of Plummer.
Plummer, a 5-foot-9 junior forward, was named the SLL player of the year, adding five assists to her school-record goal total.
"(Plummer) is the type of player that needs just one touch to change a game," Hoffman said. "She's big, she's fast, she's aggressive and equally good with both feet."
Plummer's counterpart up front for the year was Cox, who also broke her previous school-mark of 11 goals to finish as Lake's career goals leader with 32.
"Heather is a huge loss," Hoffman said. "We're playing that spot with two freshmen girls right now, who will man the spot to start and see what happens."
Also lost to graduation was starting goalkeeper Kelsey McCloskey and her school-record 566 career saves.
"We'll be very young at certain positions," Hoffman said. "I'm bringing in a freshman to replace Kelsey, who I'm very familiar with from coaching her in travel soccer and I'm expecting big things from her at that position."
Without McCloskey, though, defense will still be a big key to the Flyers' chances.
"The key things for us this year are having Drew and our whole defense back," Hoffman said. "Our top five defenders are back this year and that will definitely help out."
Returning for the Flyers on defense are juniors Tara Preble, Emily Whitmore and Hillary West, along with sophomores Casey Hughes and Hannah Cox. The unit will be strengthened even more with some new additions.
"We also added three pretty good freshmen defenders that will see a lot of time too," Hoffman said.
Ten letter winners return for the Flyers, who were picked fourth in the preseason SLL poll.
"Our returning players have got to play good this year É even taking it up a notch from where they played at last year," Hoffman said. "The freshmen will also have to step up and play a big role this year. We aren't getting a lot of respect around the league heading into the year and that's fine by us, but we have to continue our high level of play."
County girls soccer capsules
BOWLING GREEN
Coach: Erin Webb, first season.
Career record: 0-0.
2008 record: 6-9-2 overall; 1-6 in the NLL (seventh).
Returning letter winners: Seniors Anna Erfman, midfield; Suzy Goralske, forward; Andrea Ford, forward; Stephanie Palmer, defender; and Jessica Sikula, midfield; juniors Allison Koldan, defender; Tayler Deran, forward; and Katie Teggart, midfield; and sophomores, Erin Connell, defender; Julie Cross, goalkeeper; and Ashley Ford, defender.
Coach's comment: "The girls are adjusting well to the new coaching staff. We've been working hard on developing and building confidence in our attacking game. As a staff, we are excited to have a solid core of returning letter winners to help lead the team this year.
EASTWOOD
Coach: Phil Donaldson, first season.
Career record: 0-0.
2008 record: 8-8 overall, fourth in the SLL.
Returning letter winners: Seniors Ashley Seifert, defender; Emily Nelson, defender; Hannah Jacobs, defender; Jessica Schulte, defender; Kate Nicely, forward; Kristen Martin, goalkeeper; juniors Kaylan Lippert, defender and Megan Boyk, defender; and sophomores Brie Rapp, forward; Roki Rossman, goalkeeper/midfield; Saige Smith, defender; Sam Starkey, midfield.
Coach's comment: "We will have to play as a team and pass the ball well. We have experience at some positions, but not at others and that will force us to rely on girls to change positions and accept new roles. We hope to compete for the league championship."
LAKE
Coach: Steve Hoffman, second season.
Career record: 12-4-4.
2008 record: 12-4-4 overall, 6-0-2 in the SLL (first); 6-2-2 in the MSSL (second).
Returning letter winners: Senior Kristen Lehman, midfield; and juniors Drew Plummer, defender/forward; Tara Preble, defender/stopper; Hillary West, stopper; and Emily Whitmore, defender; and sophomores Hannah Cox, forward/defender; and Casey Hughes, defender/stopper.
Coach's comment: See related story.
NORTHWOOD
Coach: John Turkal, fourth season.
Career record: 75-42-14, includes time at Lowell (Mich.)
2008 record: 12-3-2 overall, first in Division II of the Northwest Ohio Scholastic Soccer League.
Returning letter winners: juniors Becca Avery; and Holly Slater; and sophomores Jessica Grindle, Kayla Kurth, Sandy Koch, Marrissa Ramirez, Alysha Henzler and Megan Hess.
Coach's comment: "With a young team, anything can happen. However, this is a team with experience and girls who have a nose for the ball. We will stay with the 3-4-3 offense to try and exploit our team speed. This year, the girls are excited due to our moving up to the upper division of our conference. Due to our success the past two seasons we will play Clay, Notre Dame. St. Ursula and Toledo Central Catholic. Since this team will return for the following two seasons (2010, 2011) we consider this season to be our learning season for playing at an upscale level to compete and win in our conference and the state tourney. Our primary objective is to have fun and enjoy our season."
OTSEGO
Coach: Christopher Palka, first season.
Career record: 0-0-0.
2008 record: Unavailable.
Returning letter winners: Seniors Aimee Whitmer, sweeper; Biz Coe, defender; Carissa Schreiber, defender; Hannah Phares, midfield; Jessica Beaverson, goalkeeper; Chelsea Charniga, defender; and Corine Fonseca, midfield; and juniors Kenzie Chalfant, striker; Jourdan Niemiec, midfield; Abby Nachtman, stopper; and Mary-Cat Roehl, midfield.
Coach's comment: "My goals for the team are to improve on last year's regular season record, win the close matches against previously dominant teams and make a serious run deep in the state tournament, To accomplish these, we will have to further grow together as a team, have underclassmen step up and play key roles, look to our captains to keep players motivated and practice harder than our opponents."
PERRYSBURG
Coach: Mike Murphy, third season.
Career record: 20-13-4.
2008 record: 15-5 overall, 5-2 in the NLL (second).
Returning letter winners: Seniors Emily Bartholomew, midfield; Allison Chapman, defender; Alyssa Goins, forward; Kristen Goins, forward; Emily Linthicum, midfield; Melissa McDonald, defender; Samantha O'Connor, midfield; junior Kelsey Draper, midfield; and sophomore Geri Studzinski, forward.
Coach's comment: "Perrysburg is replacing nine starters due to graduation and injury. Our goal is to play an attack oriented game with an up-tempo speed of play and to compete for the NLL championship."
ROSSFORD
Coach: Michael Baldorf, first season.
Career record: 0-0.
2008 record: 2-12-3 overall.
Returning letter winners: Seniors Rachel Swope, midfield; Blair Caldwell, stopper; Nicole Nirschl, sweeper/goalkeeper; and Andrea White, forward; juniors Erin Nordhaus, forward; and Megan Hirzel, goalkeeper/midfield; and sophomores Alexa Jefferis, fullback; Audra Radwanski, midfield; and Alyssa Waclawski, midfield; Sarah Waggoner, midfield..
Coach's comment: "The Lady Dogs will play hard, play to win and have fun." |
