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Kickers optimistic
By Justin Parker, Sports editorMost coaches would be nervous about starting eight freshmen and sophomores, but not Hibriten soccer coach Shea Bridges. He's excited. The Panthers have three juniors and just one senior on their roster. Everyone else is in their first or second year of high school. But expectations are as high as ever - and that's pretty high at Hibriten - this season. The Panthers return four starters from a team that won the 2-A title in the Catawba Valley Athletic Conference and reached the second round of the state playoffs a year ago. They include solid, experienced junior midfielders Holli Schwartz and Rebecca Smith and sophomore sweeper Emily Carter, who moves to the back after a year playing forward. Schwartz was an all-region, all-county and all-conference selection a year ago, scoring 13 goals and dishing out nine assists. Smith was an all-conference and all-county honoree. Carter earned her stripes as a sweeper during a team camp at Wingate University in the offseason when she shut down a heralded scorer, seemingly with ease. Bridges says moving her was really a no-brainer. “She's relentless back there,” he says. “We can't do without her. ... She's made a big sacrifice because really she likes playing up top. I know that. But she's one of the best defenders we've had in years.” Also returning is sophomore keeper Tessa Hart, who started on varsity during her freshman campaign. Bridges says she isn't afraid to go after any shot she thinks she can secure. “She won't let the ball go by her,” he says. That kind of fearless mentality has become a mantra of sorts for the Panthers, who have already shown their knack for competing this season. “They're playing like juniors and seniors,” Bridges says. “It's a different look, a different intensity out there.” The Panthers have moved to a 3-4-3 alignment on the field. Sophomores Emma Dobbin and Codi Burdette have moved up from last year's junior varsity team to contribute in the back, along with Megan Barrett and Miranda McCrary. The team's lone senior, Biz Franzen, is starting at defensive midfielder. Schwartz and Smith have help from Lauren Crouse and Mackenzie Greene in the midfield and the Panthers have a speedy group up top in freshmen Hallie Hilliard (2 goals, 2 assists so far), Sarah Gibbons, Kayla Stamey and junior returner Jenny McCrary. The Panthers, 12-8-1 a year ago, are 1-2-1 so far this season. Warriors are well motivated Last season, West Caldwell's soccer team won five matches in the CVAC and was on the cusp of qualifying for the 2-A state playoffs. But the Warriors finished 1/2 a game out of the last qualifying spot in the league standings and didn't make a postseason appearance. It was a tough blow then, but it's inspiration now. “We're hoping to make it this year,” says West coach Andrew Kanagy. “Our main goal is to make the playoffs. Other than that, I hope we're growing as a team.” The good news for Kanagy and company is that the team returns most of its core from last year. And the Warriors have already picked up a CVAC win. West dominated Maiden earlier this week by an 8-0 count. In that contest, speedster Megan Hahn had a hat-trick, including the team's first two goals. Jackie Hernandez scored two goals and keeper Kaleia Kent posted the shutout. Jessie Greer scored on a penalty kick, while Hali Watson and Martina Arnold also netted goals. Thursday against South Caldwell, Hahn scored again, her fourth goal in two games. Hahn has quickly established herself as a scoring threat, and stopper Katie Willis has staked her ground as a solid defender. The Warriors are 1-1-1 so far, with the win over Maiden, a 1-1 tie with South Caldwell and a loss in the opener to West Wilkes. The Warriors will meet rival Hibriten Monday on the road. Spartans ‘starting' to make a move Most of the 16 players on South Caldwell's roster have started varsity matches before. Maybe not consecutively or repetitively, but they have some experience. That's on purpose, says coach Roy Shulman. He wants more than a starting lineup of players capable of contributing each night. “Right now, we're trying to get everybody to work where they play together,” Shulman says. The Spartans return two all-county players from a year ago. Defender Courtney Bowen has earned a reputation for her toughness on the field, while Kelly Fox (2 goals, 6 assists last year) is strong in the midfield. Fox will likely try to walk-on at Western Carolina next year. Two other Spartans have garnered some recruiting attention. Ann DeMayo, a defender, is being recruited by Farmingdale State (N.Y.) and Greensboro College is looking at midfielder Mary Lundquist. Shulman says midfielder Brittany Starnes has been an inspiration in her playing style thus far and praises the efforts of sophomore Alyssa Cornett, a defender. He says the trio of forwards Megan Greene, Kaitlin Torres and Cholie Hinton will be counted on for scoring goals. If the Spartans are to stop the opposition from scoring, one of two new keepers, Katie Wiles and Bailey Hamby, will do it. The Spartans are 0-3-1 on the young season, fresh off a 1-1 tie with West Caldwell, in one of the team's top performances the last two years.
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