2006 PCHS GIrls Soccer Oreview

PEKIN - After struggling for seasons, Pekin High School's girls' soccer program starts the 2006 campaign with a firm foundation to build upon.

After averaging three wins a year for its first eight varsity seasons, the Lady Dragons posted a school record 11-7-1 campaign last spring, highlighted by their first ever post-season victory, a 5-4 come-from-behind first round regional triumph over Rock Island.

Pekin set program highs for wins, conference wins (6), shutouts (5) and goals scored (47) en route to its second straight third-place finish in the Mid-State 6.

Yet despite losing 12 seniors and nine starters from last season's team, third-year Pekin head coach Edgar Sandoval hopes to keep the Lady Dragons playing at a respectable level as he crafts a young and inexperienced squad.

“Even though we will feature eight seniors, six of whom saw significant field time last year, as well as three juniors, the team as a whole will be young and inexperienced with nine new starters,” Sandoval said.

Top two career scoring leaders Aimee St. Andre and Tory Udry both graduated along with two-time all-M-S-6 goalkeeper Jen Adkison as well as three-year starting defenders Susan Howard and Stephanie Sheffler.

Other departing starters include defender Marissa Fandel, a sophomore who transferred after getting accepted into the Illinois Math and Science in Aurora, and senior forward Sam Berry who decided not to join the team.

Senior midfielder Sam Grimes, a 2005 co-captain, and junior defender Jeleighsa Hamilton, both returning all-conference and honorable mention all-sectional players, are the only returning starters from last spring's squad.

“I have known few players that have a passion for soccer as much as Sam Grimes,” said Sandoval. “Her (Grimes) dedication and ability are big reasons why we've had much more success record wise in the past two years.”

Sandoval hopes to utilize the athletic ability of Hamilton, who started as a varsity defender her freshman and sophomore seasons, by playing her on offense as well as defense in 2006.

Senior forward Breanna Zimmerman is expected to be a key contributor on offense after recovering from off-season knee surgery. Zimmerman played only one game last season due to a season-ending knee injury after leading the team in scoring in 2004.

The rest of the roster includes seniors Chelsea Leaver, Brittany Wright, Bryn Golden, Katy McCarty and sisters Nicole and Megan Richards, and juniors Karis Parkin and Amanda Miller. Freshmen include Kayla Milam, Diane Jess, Jessica Allen, Shelly Morris, Allie Zuercher, Lindsay Coffey and Jakki Johnson.

Sandoval is optimistic of the talents of his seven freshmen, who possess club soccer experience.

“Before they've (freshmen) even put on Pekin uniforms, many of the freshmen have a lot more playing experience than any of the seniors who graduated,” said Sandoval. “I think it's going to take them a little time to get used to the speed and physical nature of the high school game, but once they do I'll expect good things.”

In comparison to last year's squad, the Lady Dragons will operate a possession-oriented offense instead of a speed-oriented offense, which it used en route to scoring a team record 47 goals in 2005.

“This year, we're going to focus a lot more on maintaining possession and shorter runs and passes,” Sandoval said. “Aimee St. Andre and Sam Berry were blessed with a lot of speed up front, so without them we're going to need to focus more on controlling the pace of the game and less on the ‘long ball' over the top.”

Assistant coaches new to the program include Theresa Wike, who played defense and goalkeeper for Limestone, and volunteer coach Michelle Bodily, who played two years at Salt Lake Community College and graduated from Utah State.