The Wright City girls' soccer team will look very different this year.
Gone is 100-point scorer Paige Kirn from last year’s 10-10 team, and in her place is a team that returns six starters.
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The Wright City girls' soccer team will look very different this year.
Gone is 100-point scorer Paige Kirn from last year’s 10-10 team, and in her place is a team that returns six starters.
Perhaps the most pivotal position, goalkeeper, isn’t going to be one of those returning players, though, as junior Marli Burkhardt, who scored a goal as a field player last season, will serve as the team’s keeper this season.
“I want to work hard and do my best to help the team,” Burkhardt said. “I played (keeper) a few times last season. Soccer is a really valuable sport to me. I come to this sport for the people and the environment. I know I have to do what I can to help my teammates succeed.”
The feeling of a collective effort aimed at success is mutual, junior center back Olivia Wilson said.
For a team that allowed 36 goals last season, Wilson said that it’s going to be vital for the Wildcats to step up in front of Burkhardt.
She’s not only going to have to help Burkhardt, but she also feels the team’s defense will have its share of work to do to get the offense started.
“It’s important,” Wilson said. “Defense does win games, but we also have to work to get the ball up to our forwards. If we can get it to them, or to the midfielders, they (the midfielders) can get the cross into the box to help our offense.”
While a strong core of players will be there to help their goalkeeper, Coach Victoria Harris lauded Burkhardt for, once again, rising to the occasion.
“We needed somebody and she immediately stepped up,” Harris said. “She plays volleyball, so she has a good idea about diving. It’s been amazing having her willing to do it. It just shows other girls that they can try different positions.”
The solid core of players who do return to help Burkhardt and Wilson in their quest for success is strong.
That group includes junior central midfielder/center back Juliana Lopez-Luna, senior central midfielder Sandy Lopez-Luna (three goals last season), senior midfielder/forward Kaitlyn Mikus, junior forward Ada Ferrell (eight goals) and senior midfielder Norma Diego.
Harris said that this sizable group could well look to reach the level of success it found last season. Even though winning as much as or more than the team loses is an admirable goal, some of the biggest goals can be some of the simplest.
“We were 10-10 last year, so the goal is always to be .500,” Harris said. “We want to work to keep getting better each day, though.”
Burkhardt said that, beginning with the team’s opening game at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) at home against St. Charles West, the team will work to get better each day.
“We want to build up the team this year because we did lose quite a few players,” Burkhardt said. “We want to work hard to gain momentum through the season. We try to have fun and we don’t get down on ourselves. We just keep working and keep working together. We’re competitive, but we know that you can learn from a loss.”
