EV And Wv Aim To Untie Potential
Frontier girls soccer
After finishing third and fourth in league last year, the West Valley and East Valley girls soccer teams are hoping for change - preferably upward.
Eliminating ties would be a start. The two Valley schools tied both times they played each other during the season.
They were among the four deadlocks endured by WV and three by EV during a 10-match league season. The teams each lost by a goal in the playoffs.
Most optimistic is Eagles coach Dirk Linton, who had only two seniors on his team last year and who has but two again this year.
“I figure we are going to be in the hunt,” he said.
East Valley also brings back a number of players, but coach Bill Wright simply said, “We’ll be in the middle of the pack to the playoffs.”
The top four league teams will again play for the league’s state berth.
Eagles junior-oriented team
Of West Valley’s 29-player turnout, 16 are juniors and most of those return to the starting lineup.
“We’ve got a lot of people back and don’t have any holes,” said Linton. “This is a hard-working group of girls.”
Included are team scoring leaders Dawn Salfer (14 goals), Cheryl Nelson (10) and senior Katie Snow (8) at forward.
Nelson is currently sidelined after having been hospitalized following an unexplainable 20-pound weight loss.
The other senior on the team is third-leading scorer Melanie Burtzoff.
Veteran midfielders are Rhonda Barney, Lorraine Johnson, Nicole Stephens and sophomore Gabrielle McClintock.
Returning defenders are Kecia Sowers, Cindy Simpson, Sara Shawen and Becky Kuntz.
Stacey Roberts is back in goal.
New to the varsity are defender Alyssa Hendricks and midfielder Sherry Schoenberger, whom Linton said will be a valuable addition.
“I think we’re going to be tough,” he said. “Last season was fun. I expect to have more fun this year.”
Most of EV’s scorers returned
Most of East Valley’s scoring punch is back for another season.
Included are leading scorer Licia Arnot (7 goals), whom Wright said “can play anything she wants.”
Unfortunately, second-leading scorer Kristina Manchester (6 goals) is recovering from a knee ligament tear.
“She’s the key to the whole thing,” said Wright, “(a midfielder) who’s the best all-around player we’ve got. I hope she comes off the injury.”
But there is still plenty of impact, including senior forwards Linsay Porter and Sara Bartlett, sophomore midfielders Secrett Thompson and Kim Sullivan and defender Annette Thomas.
Also returning from last year are Renee Volland, who moves from goalkeeper into the field, junior defender Michelle Farren and sophomore fullback Elisha Stickel.
“Several others are up from junior varsity,” said Wright, “and we have a couple of good looking freshmen who could help.”
The Knights lost a couple standout defenders through graduation, but he said this year’s team is better in its skills than last.
, DataTimes