Lady SoccerCats begin season Aug. 16
As the Lady SoccerCats’ embark on the 2022 season, Coach Donnie Green’s roster will be full of fresh faces for the second season in a row, as the squad lost eight starters from the 2021 team. Yet, with a sizable roster of 37 players — 14 freshmen among them — Green sees the potential for a new wave of talent and excitement for the Lady Wildcats soccer program.
With an opportunity to reset for the future, Coach Green has his largest roster and his largest freshman numbers ever. In fact, although ORHS girls’ soccer hasn’t had the numbers for a junior varsity since the 2018 season, this year he has plenty of players, so the 'Cats will play a number of JV games so that everyone on the roster gets as much time on the field as possible.
In order to help the young players gain the experience, strength, and conditioning they need to compete at the elite varsity level, Green has nudged the athletes to get as many touches as possible, as well as playing club soccer in the offseason. Along with that, they have been hitting the weight room at least twice a week since June 2 and doing a ton of conditioning work. As the team gets ready for the fall campaign — his fifth season coaching at ORHS and his second as head coach — Green is excited and optimistic about the season and about the potential for a rebound season.
While in 2021 the team struggled offensively, Coach Green is focused on finding the back of the net a little more with a greater number of offensive options on the field, and he sees a stronger midfield and defense for 2022. Unfortunately, the Lady SoccerCats lost sophomore starter Ella Bunch to an ACL tear in May during her club soccer season, so she will miss the entire season, and the 'Cats will miss her scoring prowess. Among experienced returning players, junior center-back/forward Aniya Fisher is the team leader, according to Green.
"Aniya is as tough as they come, is very talented and skilled and can play great in two positions," Green says
Fisher has a strong leg and is not afraid to put her head on the ball, as well. The Lady SoccerCats will start play in a 4-3-3. On defense, junior Grace Phillips is a two-year starter at keeper, and freshman Ayda Branson will back her up. Junior Olivia Paul will be a two-year starter in a center-back position, but her three teammates on the backline are still up in the air.
At the other center-back position, senior Alia Demint is a possibility. Junior Victoria Moua and two talented and fast freshmen, Noel Norstedt and Abbey Pressley, are vying for outside back spots. Both Norstedt and Pressley are strong club players and will see a lot of varsity time regardless of whether they start, according to Green.
As part of a compact triangle in the midfield, Green singles out freshman Hayven Laurendine at attacking-mid: “The coaching staff is very excited about what Hayven can bring to this very young Lady SoccerCat team. She is technical, has great size and speed and can finish from deep.”
Sophomore Edie Weston got a lot of varsity minutes last season as a freshman and will be the other starting attacking-mid. The holding-mid spot looks to be a tough battle between senior Maggie Jackson, junior Lily Foust, freshmen Elena Vogt, and freshman Hanna (Rose) Pelletier. Green says that the two freshmen are both very talented club players who will see a lot of varsity time.
Up top in the 4-3-3, the team has several options. Fisher will start at center-forward, but the battle for the two other outside forward positions is ongoing. Junior Brooklyn Henderson has improved her technical game, says Green, and she looks to be a strong contender for one of those forward spots. The other will be a tossup between several players, including senior Alia Demint, senior Chloe Rogers, junior Mia Wiest, sophomore Lera Lee, and freshman Lilah Kim. Lee got a lot of varsity time as a freshman last season and has improved her game on the club level during the offseason. Kim is a talented club player who will get a lot of minutes on the varsity level, as well.
Coach Green also pointed to freshman Kaley Duffle, who is both fast and experienced at the club level. She is versatile enough to play in both the back line and at forward. Freshman Dellanie Cutler and sophomore Samantha Mayton will see some time in the back line. Sophomore Danica McNair and freshman Estrella Perez-Rodriguez will see time at midfield. Seniors Bethany Watson, Charlotte Hancock and Georgia Gunter will see the field as well, Watson and Hancock in the back line and Gunter at midfield.
District 3-AAA is tough, starting with the powerful Powell Lady Panthers. After the TSSAA realignment last year, West and Central join Powell as perennial favorites. Region 2-AAA is the toughest region in the state, with last year’s U.S. No. 1 Bearden Lady Bulldogs in the region lineup. Farragut, Maryville, Hardin Valley, Powell, and West represent a formidable challenge for teams who want to make the Elite 8 of the state tournament, as at least two of the teams typically qualify every season.
Surveying the postseason, Green says, “We know what lies ahead for us and while it is a mountain to climb, I look forward to the challenge knowing that just making it to the region finals in this region is a huge accomplishment.”
Former Lady SoccerCat All-American Trenna Underwood assists Green. Underwood, who played for ORHS from 2004-2007 and led her teams to the state tournament three years in a row while earning four All-District and All-Region honors, as well as three All-State awards and an All-American award her senior year, is a seasoned club coach and brings intimate knowledge of the high school game to the field and can translate that knowledge well to teenage athletes.
Green says that “she is a huge asset to this team and coaching staff.” He also praises his exceptional Booster Club for their financial support and willingness to provide their time and energy to support practices and travel.
The Lady SoccerCats scrimmaged Jefferson County on Thursday, July 28, and both varsity and JV play in the Knoxville Interscholastic League (KIL) Jamboree on Saturday, July 30. They begin the regular season with a 6 p.m. game at Webb on Tuesday, Aug. 16, at Webb, and then begin the home campaign with a 6 p.m. contest versus Grace Christian on Tuesday, Aug. 23. All home games are at the beautiful Pro2Serve Soccer Complex on the campus of Oak Ridge High School.
Allen Etheridge is an english teacher and Sports Information and Assistant Athletic Director for Oak Ridge High School.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Lady SoccerCats begin season Aug. 16
