After splitting the Bay Rivers District title with Tabb last season, Jamestown once again appears to be a top contender heading into the 2015 girls soccer season.
The Eagles will lean on their tough defense, which consists of first-team All-Region selection Maddie Clevinger and All-Conference 19 selection Megan Foret.
Tabb is coming off a season that extended into the state semifinal, but the Tigers might struggle to get back to that level of success this season after losing 10 seniors from last year.
Conversely, the York Falcons return 10 starters from last year’s team that made it to the 3A East Region semifinals, which should put them toward the top of the district this year.
Four Bay Rivers District teams have new head coaches this season. Lafayette and Grafton should field talented teams this year, but will have to overcome the learning curve that comes with new head coaches. The Rams and Clippers hired Kevin Nealer and Galen Small, respectively.
Warhill suffered heavy losses from last season, so new head coach Jae Kim could have a project in front of him. The same goes for Bruton, which failed to win a game last season under Kim. Will Spear hopes to turn around that struggling program.
Below are previews for the Historic Triangle teams, which kick off Bay Rivers District play today:
Bruton
Head Coach: Will Spear
2015 Classification: 2A Conference 33
2014 Record: 0-11
Players to Watch: Aaliyah Bartlett (junior, F); Morgan Wagner (freshman, M); Tori McCurdy (junior, M); Samantha Califano (senior, M); Julia Deal (freshman, D)
Season Outlook: New coach Will Spear said he set conservative goals for his team this season, which will be starting five freshmen. The Panthers are coming off a winless season that ended in the first round of the Conference 33 tournament. Spear said the inexperience and youth of his team could pose some problems when competing within the tough Bay Rivers District. Califano, a senior midfielder, will be expected to provide leadership for the young group and should be a stable contributor in the midfield. Spear said Bartlett will be one of Bruton’s top offensive weapons. Wagner and Deal, freshmen, will contribute early and often to a Panthers roster that Spear said will employ a basic offense while his younger players learn the fundamentals of the game.
Grafton
Head Coach: Galen Small
2015 Classification: 4A Conference 19
2014 Record: 12-5
Players to Watch: Jackie Armstrong (senior, F); Taylor Bradshaw (senior, M); Jamie Brown (senior, M); Sydnie Swartwood (junior, D)
Season Outlook: In his first year coaching at Grafton, Coach Galen Small inherits a team that returns multiple starters from last year’s team that lost in the Conference 19 semifinals to Jamestown. Despite being largely unfamiliar with his new roster, Small said he already sees the talent in senior forward Jackie Armstrong, who a first-team All-Conference selection last season. Brown, a senior captain and first-team All-Conference selection, will provide stability in the midfield when paired with Bradshaw, who earned second-team All-Conference honors last year. As long as the coaching transition goes smoothly, Small thinks Grafton should be able to match, if not surpass, last year’s success.
Jamestown
Head Coach: Michelle and Kevin Dawson
2015 Classification: 4A Conference 19
2014 Record: 9-5-3
Players to Watch: Maddie Clevinger (junior, D); Peyton Helbert (senior, M); Morgan Connell (senior, F); Tori Bennett (senior, M)
Season Outlook: Jamestown is coming off a Bay Rivers District title split with Tabb and first-round loss in the 4A Regional Tournament, and should be poised to challenge for the top spot again this season. Coach Kevin Dawson, who shares the head coaching duties with his wife Michelle, described Jamestown’s roster as healthy balance between experienced players and newcomers. Clevinger is fresh off a season in which she garnered first-team All-Region and All-Conference accolades. While Clevinger won’t fill up the stat sheet as a defender, Dawson said she is one of the best defenders in the Bay Rivers District. Helbert, a first-team All-Conference midfielder, will try to build off last season’s two goals and six assists. Dawson said the Eagles should be competitive in the Bay Rivers District if his team can turn its speed into scoring opportunities.
Lafayette
Head Coach: Kevin Nealer
2015 Classification: 3A Conference 25
2014 Record: 9-4
Players to Watch: Carson Pokorny (senior, F); Peyton Kilgore (senior, D); Grace Macomber (senior, D); Mackenzie Wilson (senior, D)
Season Outlook: New coach Kevin Nealer expects his team to make the regional tournament this year after losing to Warhill in the Conference 25 semifinals last season. The Rams return most of last year’s team and will have to replace one senior, All-Conference midfielder Catie Savarese. Pokorny, an All-Region senior striker, will lead Lafayette’s offense after scoring 31 goals last season. Nealer said the Rams will employ a strong defense, led by All-Conference seniors Kilgore and Macomber. Nealer says his team’s strong chemistry will only enhance Lafayette’s quality of play. With so much returning talent, the Rams should be one of the top teams in the Bay Rivers District.
Tabb
Head Coach: Kelle Shiflett
2015 Classification: 4A Conference 19
2014 Record: 19-3-1
Players to Watch: Leah Tyson (junior, M); Natalie Stratton (sophomore, D); Jasmine Bryant (freshman, D)
Season Outlook: Tabb could be headed for a rebuilding season coming off a Conference 19 championship and an appearance in the 4A state semifinals. The Tigers lost 10 seniors to graduation, most of whom were starters. Shiflett said her team will have to lean heavily on the returners from last year’s season if the Tigers want to stay competitive with the rest of the Bay Rivers District. Junior midfielder Tyson will step into a captain role this year and will hope to build off a season in which she scored 10 goals and assisted on seven more. With so much roster turnover over the offseason, Shiflett said getting the new players to gel early in the season will be a big determinant on how the Tigers finish the season.
Warhill
Head Coach: Jae Kim
2015 Classification: 3A Conference 25
2014 Record: 8-5-1
Players to Watch: Aaliyah Tyler (Junior, GK); Shaye Doherty (junior, M); Tammy Stauffer (senior, D); Emma Johnson (senior, M)
Season Outlook: Warhill is now under the leadership of Jae Kim, who spent last season as the Bruton girls soccer coach. Kim inherits a Warhill team that is coming off a 3-1 loss in the 3A East semifinals to Kettle Run and is replacing nearly half of last season’s starters, including first-team All-State midfielder Lindsey Williams. Kim says his team’s biggest strength will be its defense, which will be led by Stauffer. Tyler, a junior goalkeeper, is more than capable of holding her own in net, but the Lions could struggle finding consistent offense on the other end of the field. Kim expects sophomore forward Kirstyn Aldridge, a transfer from East Bakersfield High School in California, to come in and provide a spark for the Lions once she recovers from a mild concussion.
York
Head Coach: Tom Finley
2015 Classification: 3A Conference 25
2014 Record: 9-7-2
Players to Watch: Michelle Shin (junior, M); Madison Van Dyke (sophomore, F); Madison Dillard (senior, D); Anya Johnson (sophomore, F)
Season Outlook: York returns 10 starters from last year’s team that made the Region 3A Tournament semifinals. Coach Tom Finley called last year’s group overachievers, saying this year’s team should be able to build on that success. York will be led by Shin, a first-team All-Region junior midfielder, who led the Falcons with 14 assists last season. Van Dyke, an All-Conference sophomore forward, is coming off a successful freshman campaign in which she scored 19 goals, earning her second-team All-Region honors. Dillard, a senior, will provide leadership and stability to the York defense, which will also feature second-team All-Conference selections Kate Larsen and LeighAnn Abbott. Even with only two seniors on this year’s team, Finley thinks York can be one of the best teams in the Bay Rivers District.
