A huge step in the right direction was taken last spring by the Greenwood Lady Jays soccer team. After playing an incredibly tough schedule during the season and taking some lumps, the team won its first ever district championship, 2-1 in overtime over Fair Grove.
“We had a great season,” said Greenwood coach Chris Shull, who has been leading the program since it began in 2007. “Also, we had a very strong schedule where we played bigger schools which made up a majority of our schedule.”
The team’s season ended with a quarterfinal loss to Tolton Catholic, but the loss did not shade what was a fantastic season for the Lady Jays. This spring, Greenwood will try to build off last year’s success, but will do so without the services of some key seniors from last season, notably Courtney Whitlock and Elizabeth Brock. Whitlock is now playing collegiately at Westminster College, while Brock is playing at Babson College.
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Returning for the Lady Jays are three key seniors: Bayley Flavin, Annika Hylen, and Eliza Esther.
“Bayley adds experience and leadership to our team,” Shull said. “Annika brings a physical aspect to our team, and Eliza is back after missing last year because of a knee injury. She is a very experienced and strong player, and we are looking forward to her return.”
Newcomers include freshmen Emma McCall and Fallon Yarnell, who should step in and help out at the varsity level this spring.
“Emma is a very skilled player,” Shull said. “Her playing level is above her age and grade level. She will be one of our strongest players on the squad. Fallon is a physical player with grit. That’s rare in a ninth grader.”
Greenwood also brings in a new assistant coach—Shelby Setzer, a Kickapoo graduate. “We lost our assistant from last year (Danielle Poivre) but gained a new one in Shelby,” Shull said. “We welcome her to the team, and she has an outstanding rapport with the girls. I am lucky to have her as an assistant. She has been outstading.”
This spring, Shull has scheduled a tough schedule again for the team, which should make them battle-tested when postseason play arrives.
“We want to be competitive in a tough schedule and to return to the state playoffs,” Shull said. “Nothing is a given, and the girls know they have to work hard and stay committed throughout the entire season. This team, although different from last year, is setting its goals high and wants to improve on the progress from last year.”
