By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The focus that the Hillcrest High School girls’ soccer team maintain each year is to work hard, improve day in and day out, and to have fun.
The Lady Hornets, who went 3-16 overall and 1-8 in the Ozark Conference, lost one key player to graduation from last year’s team – midfielder Kinsie Williams, a first-team All-OC and All-District selection. Williams scored six goals and added four assists during the 2017 season.
This season looks promising as Hillcrest returns experience in three seniors and six juniors, who are important contributors to a Lady Hornets roster with few club players or players who have played prior to their freshman years in high school.
The seniors include: defender Audrey Broyles, a first-team All-District and second-team All-OC pick last year; Reagan Jamison, defender, second-team All-OC and second-team All-District; and midfielder Jadan Adams.
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“(These players) work hard, have played together for three years, and are great kids all around,” Hillcrest head coach Denys Hansen said.
The Lady Hornets’ 2017 season ended with a 4-0 loss to Class 3 quarterfinalist Bolivar in the Class 3 District 11 semifinals, but their aim is to come out strong in 2018.
“(Our expectations are) to win more games, score more goals, and have as much fun as we can,” Hansen said, “because that is really what it is about.
“Our biggest strength is a desire to get better and building on the returning players who were the heart of the team last year.”
The Lady Hornets will host a jamboree on March 9, which includes Branson, Fair Grove and Laquey, before opening their season against Neosho, the Class 3 District 10 winner in 2017, on Tuesday, March 20 at Shumate Stadium.
