By Morgan Rode sports@newmedia-wi.com
Leader Photo by Morgan Rode The Shawano girls soccer team scrimmage indoors at Hillcrest Primary School on Monday in preparation for its first games of the season this week. The Hawks are scheduled to host Lakeland Union on Thursday.
The Shawano Community High School girls soccer team believes it’s ready to take a step forward on the field as the spring season starts up.
The Hawks lost several seniors from last year’s team that went 3-10 overall and 2-6 in the Bay Conference, but it also returns several experienced players. Coach Bob Croschere also hopes to have a few others step up and help the team finish near the top of the conference standings.
Defender Emily Watters and midfielder Lindsey Roloff offer the team a pair of senior leaders to turn to for leadership.
“I plan to tell my teammates the truth about how they’re doing. Like if they ask me if what they did was good, not sugarcoat it. I have to be that person that tells them the truth about what they’re doing,” Watters said. “Just give everyone as many pointers as possible and keep pushing them to do their best.”
Junior Peyton Buerman will be the one defending the net for the Hawks. She posted a shutout against Antigo near the end of last year’s regular season.
Midfielders Kyra Klement and Haley Williams will each try to make impacts in their junior seasons. Sophomore Isabel Colon will serve as a defender. Klement, Williams and Colon all got starting experience last year.
Junior Brianna Mott (forward) and Isabella Burr (midfielder) also could be in store for bigger roles this spring.
“I think our biggest goal is just to improve on our skills from last year,” said Roloff, who led the team in goals scored last year and was the lone Hawk to earn an all-conference nod. “I think we need to do a lot more moving during the game and to have better teamwork and talking and I think that will lead us to success. But if we don’t put the little things together, we won’t get anywhere.”
The Hawks are scheduled to host their first game on Thursday against Lakeland Union.
Shawano was placed in a Division 2 regional that includes Antigo, Holmen, Hortonville, La Crosse Central, La Crosse Logan, Marshfield, Menomonie, Merrill, New Richmond, Onalaska, Rhinelander, River Falls, Sparta and Wausau East.
Regional games are scheduled for May 28 and June 1, with sectionals on June 6 and June 8. The state tournament will run June 13-15 at KOHLER Engines Stadium at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee.
Clintonville
Despite having a multitude of freshmen, Clintonville believes it can still turn in a strong season behind an experienced group of upperclassmen.
“Sporting 11 freshmen out of 20 young ladies, the biggest challenges lie in gaining game experience and skill development,” Clintonville coach Brandon Page said. “Nevertheless, a core group of upperclassmen will provide the much needed leadership to guide this team as it develops.”
Senior Tabitha Breitrick (midfielder), juniors Delaney Hintz (midfielder), Jasmine Camacho (midfielder) and Kayla Klemp (forward) and sophomore Morgan Federwitz (forward) all return with starting experience for the Truckers.
Federwitz is the only North Eastern Conference all-conference selection back for the Truckers.
Senior Claudia Costa (midfielder), junior Izel Ramirez (defender) and freshman Anahi Tinnoco (forward) are players that could also play prominent roles for Clintonville.
The Truckers are in a Division 3 regional that includes Altoona/Fall Creek, Amherst/Iola-Scandinavia, Ashland, Baldwin-Woodville, Barron/Cumberland, Hayward, Lakeland Union, Medford, Mosinee, New London, Osceola, Rice Lake, Somerset, Spooner/Shell Lake and Waupaca.
Clintonville is scheduled to travel to Kaukauna on Thursday for its season opener. The Truckers first home game is set for April 8 against Campbellsport.