Two Seniors Return To Blackhawk Team

Thu., Sept. 25, 1997

Kris Gilroy Correspondent

Teams in the Frontier League will adapt to a new setup this season, but Cheney girls soccer players aren’t sweating it.

Under the new system, Cheney will play fellow 3A classification Frontier League members East Valley, West Valley and Clarkston. Former members Pullman, Riverside and Colville have been reclassified 2A and are in the Great Northern League.

None of the Frontier games will be played until the end of this month. That extra time comes in handy for the young Blackhawks.

“Right now we feel no pressure,” said coach Mark Belstad. “Basically, nothing right now counts.”

Cheney has but two seniors.

Terra Pischel will play her last year for the Blackhawks on defense, and Liz Carlin will play midfield.

The team will make use of juniors, sophomores and freshmen.

“If they’re ready, they’re going to play,” he said.

Juniors include midfielders Amanda Krogh and Diana Warrington, forward Kristin Stewart, defenders Tanya Birchler and Cheyenne Denison, and goalkeeper Keri Beeman.

Sophomores are midfielder Brittany Talmadge and Kyla Hotchkiss, forwards K’Dee Anderson and Zoe Davis, defenders Jesse Fockler and Charisse Oyolokor, and goalkeeper Erin Conrath.

Freshmen who made the team are midfielder Lori Regnier, forward Emily Squires and defender Bria Hotchkiss.

Belstad said many of the team members played together before this season, so there already is a sense of team unity and togetherness on the field.

They are benefiting from new assistant coach Nicole Dauer, who played soccer at the University of Washington and Santa Clara University.

All of the teams in the Frontier League have a good shot at the team title, Belstad said.

“I think after we get through the early season bumps and bruises and kids being out of shape after a long summer - I should say a lazy summer - we’ll be OK,” he said.

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