LINDEN — Experience and depth make for an optimistic preseason for North girls soccer.
“We are bringing back most of our team and nine of the 11 starters,” Chargers coach Julie Hodges said. “The experience our underclassmen were able to obtain last season will hopefully translate into more success on the field.”
North brings players from all three classes as the season approaches. While seniors are always the key to success, the Chargers have plenty of help close by.
“We have four seniors,” Hodges noted, “three of which have multiple years of varsity experience. Ava Nunan in the midfield, Hailey Kunz in the defense, and Ella Smith in goal. Callie Wright is our fourth senior.”
The eight juniors will also be highly counted on.
“We return our leading goal scorer from last year, junior Taylor Hudson,” the coach said.
A half-dozen sophomores adds to the squad’s depth.
“We had four freshmen in our starting lineup last year that gained valuable experience,” Hodges said. “Now that they are a year older, we are excited to see what players like sophomores Gracie Ratcliff, Paige Yarger and Courtney Bennett will bring.”
In addition to all the players with time on the pitch, there are the younger players looking to make a mark.
“We have a large freshman class coming in,” Hodges continued, “and several will be able to fit in to help on the field this year that we are looking forward to.”
All those players will give the Chargers fresher legs to press the attack.
It is also the last season in the Sagamore Conference, and Hodges noted this last campaign.
“It’s our last year in the Sagamore Conference,” she said. “We obviously want to go out on a high note. Our highest finish in the SAC has been third. If we can at least reach that mark again we feel we will have had a successful conference season.”
That season gets underway Aug. 20 against Bethesda. The matches against Southmont and Crawfordsville come in September. There will be a few girls/guys doubleheaders in this season schedule, including at South on Sept. 3.
