PERRYSBURG – The girls soccer program at Perrysburg has turned into somewhat of a culture over the last
two years.
The Yellow Jackets, consistently with more than 60 girls in the program, have built a perennial
powerhouse in the Northern Lakes League, collecting league titles in  the last two seasons.
And not to mention the state championship team from 2012, which went 23-0-0. The ‘Jackets had a stellar
offense that year, yet they were still heavily reliant on an impenetrable defense that allowed just five
goals throughout the season.
Look for Perrysburg to rely on that defense, how different it may be, again this season after going
13-3-3 a year ago.
"It has to be, but it is already (a strong point)," Perrysburg co-head coach Jorge Diaz said.
"We went into the preseason and played some scrimmages … and I don’t think we allowed more than
one goal all the way through."
The ‘Jackets lost all of their back line from a year ago to graduation meaning four fresh faces are
tasked with keeping together a defense that has been nothing short of admirable in recent memory.
The good news for Perrysburg? It returns eight letter winners from last season and still has five players
from its state championship team in 2012.
Perrysburg veterans Lindy DeLong and Allex Brown, who were named co-captains, are the two most
experienced returnees. Both were on the championship team from two years ago.
"Obviously that experience in 2012 is going to help having them as leaders of the team,"
co-head coach Margaret Bernard said of DeLong and Brown. "Being in an experience like that two
years ago … they know what it’s like to be able to lead the kids to, hopefully, something close to
that again. That’s always the goal."
Brown has scored 30 goals over the last two seasons, including 17 last year, while DeLong has added six.

Perrysburg is expected to compete for yet another NLL title, its third in as many years, along with
Northview and Anthony Wayne. The Generals and Perrysburg shared last year’s championship.
"Having that experience kind of helps out the young ones," Diaz said of the co-captains.
"We just talked about goals for the season. They’re goals are consistent with our goals as far as
winning the NLL and all the other good stuff."