The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1402699
The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, August 18, 2021 C-3 Chargers! Locally Owned and Operated Dr. Clint Shoultz 715 S. 9th Street, Petersburg • (812) 354-9400 Mon. 8am-7pm, Tues. 8am-noon, Wed. 10am-7pm, Thurs-Fri. 8am-5pm call for an appointment or come in and check out our selection. Pictured above is the 2021-22 Pike Central girls' soccer team. They are, front row (l to r): Albany Ashley, Mallory Hunt, Abigail Skelton, Alli Holder and Hannah Wood- ford; second row: Elizabeth Edrington, Kennedy Willis, Grace Robling and Lillian Nalley; back row: Rachel Goeppner, Kenna Young, Jaylynn Capehart, Lainey Leighty, Kahle Young, Lillian Thompson and Manager Alyssa Young. Photo by Matthew Haycraft By Matthew Haycraft Last year's Pike Central girls' soccer squad went 2-12 overall and were 10th in the PAC with a record of 2-8. The '21-'22 squad lost three great seniors that will be missed, ac- cording to Head Coach Chad Western. They are Lauren Young, Grace Brandle and Chelsie Lester. Young had seven points, three goals and one assist during last season. While Brandle ended her sea- son with four points, one goal and two assists. Coach Western stated, "Last year was a lot of challenges, so hopefully we have a few less challenges this year, with COVID and injuries and num- bers each week. We had a lot of kids kicked out with quaran- tine, some sickness, but most of them were quarantine situa- tions with the school, and you'd lose them for two weeks. So I'm hoping that they have 13 to 15 kids each time we go play." "A lot of kids are back work- ing hard, either in better shape or working on something. So that's always good to have kids that are determined to be bet- ter and make the team better." The incoming seniors for this season are Mallory Hunt, Hannah Woodford, Alli Holder, Albany Ashley, who was sec- ond team All-Conference last year and Abby Skelton. Hunt will be playing goalie this year. Coach Western stat- ed, "Hunt is a very good bas- ketball player and competitor for Pike Central. She is a lead- er, and wants to play well and do a great job at whatever she does. She always plays hard and is determined to make a difference. We are so glad she decided to play soccer last year and this year. We are going to need a strong year from her." Hunt thinks the team will have a pretty good season this year. Her hope is to win sec- tionals and thinks it would be good, since she has only played a couple of years, to get some growth and experi- ence from the people with whom she plays. Holder echoed Hunt saying, "I'm excited to see where we can get as far as that goes. My freshman year, we were runner up in section- als, so it's pretty exciting to be running for, especially as a senior." Holder ended last season with five points, two goals and one assist. Last year, she frac- tured her foot and was out for a few games, but came back and played in sectionals on a hurt foot. She stated one of her goals for this year was not to let injuries hold her back. "Alli always gives the team what we need. She knows when we need more defense, or a little more offensive at- tack. She is one of a few play- ers that can really play both ends of the field and anywhere to make us better. Alli has a toughness about her that our team needs. She is a good lead- er, and plays very hard wher- ever we put her," commented Coach Western. Ashley is very excited about this year, with her being a se- nior. She stated she has played soccer ever since she was three and thinks that the team has a really good chance this year of being better than any season from her high school career. She also commented she felt like every year she has kind of taken a step up in her soccer career and she just wanted to keep that trend up. "The main thing for me is just to always have fun and just be everyone's friend, just be a good teammate and have ev- eryone just enjoy the soccer season. You know, I'd love to do good at sectionals, but that just comes with time and prac- tice," stated Ashley. Coach Western said, "Albany is such a hard worker, and she can really play the whole half if need- ed. She fights back on defense very well, and is good getting in the attack from the middle or the left side. She can play anywhere and make a difference for our team. We need a big year from her this year on offense, and getting more in the attack." Skelton said a lot of her teammates have several good things to contribute to the team this year, and she be- lieves it is going to be a good season. When talking about her goals and expectations for the season, she stated she just wants to be able to play more offensively and for the team to make more goals than they did last year. "Abby had some injuries last year she had to fight through, and she did so she could play and help the team. She always puts the team first, and those kind of things make the team better." "She has improved on her game, and is ready to have a strong 2021 season. She al- ways plays hard and gives us a great effort. We are going to need Abby to play big for us, and we are going to need goals and assists from her this sea- son," Coach Western stated. Woodford is really excited for this season because the seniors have been playing to- gether for a really long time, and they get to go out this year and show everyone what they can do. She mentioned that it will be great to see how every- one works together this sea- son. "I really want to win a sec- tional or even just beat those few teams we haven't gotten to before. Personally, I want to just get in shape and stay in shape," commented Wood- ford. Coach Western remarked, "Hannah has improved each year, and worked on some- thing to get better. She is a good leader and has a high soccer knowledge. She plays very hard and wants our team to have the maximum suc- cess. She also is in the right place and the right time in most every situation. We need Hannah to be a huge part of our success in front of our de- fense or in the middle for us." Western stated his goals for the team. "We were real- ly good defensively last year, but we have to be better of- fensively this year, so that's what we've been working on this summer is playing a little different style. Be more offen- sive, be able to score a little better and get some oppor- tunities. That's been one of the main things we work on, always this time of year, just getting in better shape." Pike Central girls' soccer will play their first game on Monday, August 23 against Evansville Bosse at Bosse High School. GIRLS' VARSITY SOCCER ❚ Thursday, Aug. 19 – Washington – 5:30 p.m. at Pike Central ❚ Monday, Aug. 23 – Evansville Bosse – 6:30 p.m. at Bosse Evansville ❚ Thursday, Aug. 26 – North Knox – 5:30 p.m. at North Knox ❚ Tuesday, Aug. 31 – South Spencer – 6 p.m. at Pike Central ❚ Thursday, Sept. 2 – Boonville – 6 p.m. at Boonville ❚ Tuesday, Sept. 7 – Southridge – 6 p.m. at Southridge ❚ Thursday, Sept. 9 – Princeton – 6 p.m. at Pike Central ❚ Saturday, Sept. 11 – Forest Park – 10 a.m. at Forest Park ❚ Tuesday, Sept. 14 – South Knox – 5 p.m. at South Knox ❚ Thursday, Sept. 16 – Mt. Vernon (Posey) – 6:30 p.m. at Mt. Vernon ❚ Monday, Sept. 20 – Northeast Dubois – 5:30 p.m. at Northeast Dubois ❚ Tuesday, Sept. 21 – North Posey – 6:30 p.m. at Old Petersburg Gym ❚ Thursday, Sept. 23 – Gibson Southern – 6 p.m. at Old Petersburg Gym ❚ Tuesday, Sept. 28 – Heritage Hills – 7:45 p.m. at Pike Central ❚ Thursday, Sept. 30 – Evansville Christian – 6:30 p.m. at Evansville Christian–Epworth Campus Mallory Hunt Hannah Woodford Alli Holder Albany Ashley Abigail Skelton Lady Chargers prepare to be more offensive We were really good defensively last year, but we have to be better offensively this year." - Jacob Kelly Western