It seems a long time ago that we walked our 2017 State
Runner-up down the red carpet and up onto the Commons stage to be recognized
during our season-ending banquet. Graduated is that senior class of Caroline Romme (now playing at
Rockhurst), Brigid Linder, Itsy McCormick, Katelyn Heying,
Chyna Shiltz-Ragsdale (now playing
at JCCC), Anna Woltering and Hania Crow (now playing at William
Jewell).
And, for the first time ever,
we had to say goodbye to a strong underclass of 6 who left high school to play
year-round academy soccer. So, also, we will not be seeing Hallie Klanke, Moira Kelley,
Carly Raunig, Elle Kimball, Isa Yanes, or Callie Ingram as they
chase fame in the Developmental Academy program.
But we do bring back some
star power, and we augment that power with some key transfers and one or two
incoming frosh. We always start looking at our team from the back as it gives
us a true look at our whole field.
What a keeper situation we
have! The position starts with UCM Commit and Pre-Season All American, Allyiah Calvert, who had her junior
season cut short at midseason. Senior Nicole
McEnroe who had a solid junior season giving up less than ¾ of goal a match
will back her up. We also have sophomore
Molly Hartnett and incoming freshman
keeper, Taylor James, to hone their skills on the JV, but to be ready, when, and if, we need them. Wow.
Obviously, we have major
turnover in the rest of the back. We do
bring back senior captain and Rockhurst commit, Alex Moss, who we look to move to centerback to run the defense. We
are also excited to have Miege transfer, Avery
Higgerson, a junior right back to join the cast.
We look for a competitive preseason
to sort out the rest. We think junior centerback Meg Ramaekers, our JV’s top defender from last year and a
late-season call-up, should be in the mix, along with returning sophomore, Kate Goza, who played a lot as a
freshman for the varsity last year. But we also have several senior defenders
who played JV for us last season who should compete for spots. And freshman, Trinity Kemp, had a great summer camp for us.
Our real strength
comes from the returning star power at center midfield. We start with our
defensive centermid, Mallory Heying,
who should be one of the top players in the area. We also return junior captain Kyli Jackson (a Missouri-State commit)
and senior captain Marge Pigott (a
former KU commit). We also return sophomore Amanda Hamm from whom we expect a great sophomore season. She is
one of those players who could play on any line whether it be up top in the
midfield or in the back.
We look to, at least, start
out with a diamond midfield that would add senior Madison Janky in all likelihood at the top of that diamond. Natalie Golubski can also give us good
minutes there. Marge has played there a lot of the years as well.
Our goal-scoring front third
is where we left the largest holes. We
have to replace 20-goals-a-season Hallie
Klanke as well as Heying and Kimball who brought another 16. We do return junior Missouri State commit, Bella Bryson, but the rest of the front
is let’s-figure-it-out. Time for character actors to take on lead roles.
We do bring in one of the top
freshman in all of the area in Grace
O’Keefe. She will score goals. But after that, we have open competition. We
have some good forwards from the JV who could earn spots, players who might
change positions, another transfer who plays up top—so lots of possibilities,
but not a lot of definite.
We have a couple of major
coaching shake-ups as well as JV assistant, Will Ragsdale (year 5), will replace Ron Brown to run our C-team program. Also, Bryan Turner (year 6),
who took the helm of our boys’ JV program, will do the same with the girls as Amanda Nelson will be part-time only
this season.
But Coach Ewing returns for year 30; Coach Hammons for year 24; Coach
White for year 13; Coach Ellefson
for year 8. Jessica Teahan-Brown (year
7) will be in and out coaching our goalies again as well. So, yes, some change, but a lot of stability,
too.
The schedule does look to be
competitive as usual. With an early Easter, Mo-Kan will look strange as it begins
on a Saturday rather than ending on a Saturday.
We start out against Park Hill, a first in a field that brings back
National Runner-up, Sion, who return most of their squad.
We return to Iowa to
take on the best in the country, although the tourney shrinks to two days,
making for a busy, busy Friday. We do travel back to Wichita this year to see
both Kapaun and Maize, one of our final four opponents the last two seasons.
And how about the EKL? Here sits defending 5A state champ, Blue Valley Southwest, who should come in as the favorite,
returning most of their team from 2017. The EKL also offers up defending 6A champ, Blue Valley West and defending 4A champ, Bishop Miege. The entire EKL, however, should be hit pretty hard with girls’ exiting to the DA
program. It will be quite a competitive EKL season.
Spring 2018 openings should
serve up as a very interesting and competitive awards season. We should see some surprises as new girls
will take lead roles all around the area.
Saint Thomas Aquinas girls return 5 starters, a number that seems pretty
decent in a landscape of so much change.
We like our additions, and change will create opportunities for so
many girls.
It should be quite a show,
one in which we hope to land some postseason nominations and awards—just maybe
walk that carpet once again to grab that golden trophy. Let's Reclaim the Fame!
