By Chris Parker
Laquey soccer will have a bit of a different look this season with only four starters returning from last season’s Class 1 fourth-place squad.
Defense will be a strength.
“The strength of our team should be in our defense, three of them are returning starters from last year’s final four squad,” Laquey head coach Aaron Thier said. “We are bringing in a talented goalkeeper to round that out. Also, we want to be known for being the hardest working team that is committed to the process.”
Senior Seleena Stone, junior Addaleigh Shubert and senior Alison Huellstrounk are all returning to the defense from last season’s team. Stone was and all-state selection and region defensive player of the year.
Aletheia Cambier is a sophomore who likely will be the keeper. She comes over from Laquey’s co-op with Richland.
The offensive side will look for early improvement.
“We will have to grow a lot this season, specifically in possession and scoring,” Thier said. “We graduated three players with over 20 goals each last season, and if they weren’t scoring, they were creating the scoring opportunities and providing assists. Also with Kaelyn Jones’ season ending injury we are only bringing back one player that has scored in consistent varsity minutes in the last three years. Also replacing Olivia Boevingloh and Brooke Fowers in the defense will be a big task. We will focus on our strengths and look to build the attack and hope that players step up to be goal scorers this season.”
Thier mentioned Addie Love (junior), Haidyn Walters (junior), Emma Cook (senior) and Tera Wiseman (junior) as possibilities at forward.
Hailey Dennis (senior) is the lone returning midfielder.
“We want the identity of this team to always be that we are respectful and competitive,” Thier said. “That we may not win every game, but that we will always compete, that we will be that scrappy team you don’t want to play because our intensity and effort with which we play is difficult to manage.”
Laquey opens the season on Mar. 24 at home against Osage.
“We hope to grow and develop every girl that shows up to play,” Thier said. “We expect every year to compete for championships. We look to treat it like a championship environment even when a championship may be unrealistic. I believe in the girls and believe in the process. If we get the necessary buy-in, we should be able to compete for a title again this year.”
