Decker expects Spartans to go through some growing pains
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Emporia High girls soccer team has a returning All-Stater and three seniors who are longtime veterans of the local soccer program. So the Spartans’ foundation is solid — but still, they’ll be in a state of flux as they open their season Monday against Wichita Southeast in the Titan Classic.
The Spartans return just 11 players that have seen varsity time, and six freshmen will be on varsity this year. So coach John Decker has plenty of reason to expect a few growing pains.
“It might be a little rough there at first, but it’s great for the future,” Decker said. “I don’t have any problems with (playing) freshmen, seniors, juniors, whatever.”
When the Spartans are attacking the goal, things likely will look familiar. EHS’s front line will look essentially the same as it did in 2008, when the Spartans finished with a 10-7-1 mark. Junior Jordan Sosa, a first team selection for All-Centennial League, All-Region and All-State last year, is back at forward along with senior Ashley Leihsing, a Hutchinson Community College signee. Leihsing will also see a lot of time at midfield. Rachelle VanGundy, another senior, will be back at center midfield, and sophomore Bailey Sosa will probably also play center mid after playing outside last year.
“I think my personal goals are to score more than I did last year, because I’m faster,” Leihsing said. “And for the team goals, I know that we’re still a young team this year, but we’re really fast this year, and that will really help us out.”
At the back of the field is where the turnover will be most obvious. Emporia lost three of the four defenders who were in the starting lineup at the end of last season — including Jessica Decker, who moved on to play at Emporia State after earning All-Centennial, All-Region and All-State acclaim.
“There’s a good chance that we’re gonna be starting probably three freshmen and a sophomore,” John Decker said. “It’s not decided completely yet, but that’s what we’re looking at on defense.”
Decker believes the biggest adjustment the freshmen will have to make to high school soccer is learning how physical the game gets.
“Usually there’s a comment after the first game or two — well, I know one said one time, ‘Wow, I’ve never played in a game that they let us play so physical,’” he said. “And there’s a learning curve that goes on there. Once they learn that, ‘Hey, we can get out here and bang prety good,’ and once they get knocked down a couple of times, they figure it out.”
Leihsing and VanGundy will provide senior leadership along with outside midfielder Samantha Hernandez, who Decker said has made tremendous strides.
“It feels kind of different,” Leihsing said. “It doesn’t feel like I’m a senior at all, (and) probably none of the other senior girls...feel like it, either. But we know we have to step it up and fill those big roles from last year.”
The Spartans begin play Monday in the Red bracket of the Titan Classic, which guarantees them three games to open the year.
“We come out here, figure a lot of stuff out on Monday and Wednesday,” Decker said, “and hopefully by Saturday, I’m figuring the girls out, they’re figuring what we’re doing, and we start putting it together. And as long as we see improvement every game, we’re gonna be fine come postseason. It’d obviously be great to win every game, but if we have some learning issues there (at the beginning), make a few mistakes, that’s fine.”
EHS GIRLS SOCCER SCHEDULE
Monday — vs. Wichita Southeast at Titan Classic, 3:30 p.m.
April 1 — Titan Classic, TBD
April 4 — Titan Classic, TBD
April 7 — BLUE VALLEY WEST, 6:15 p.m.
April 8 — at Junction City, 6:15 p.m.
April 10 — at Wichita East, 6 p.m.
April 14 — at Manhattan, 6:15 p.m.
April 20 — WICHITA NORTHWEST, 6:15 p.m.
April 21 — at Seaman, 6:15 p.m.
April 27 — at Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park, 6:15 p.m.
April 28 — HIGHLAND PARK, 6:15 p.m.
May 1 — SHAWNEE HEIGHTS, 6:15 p.m.
May 5 — WASHBURN RURAL, 6:15 p.m.
May 7 — at Hayden, 5:45 p.m.
May 11 — BLUE VALLEY, 7:15 p.m.
May 14 — at Topeka High at Hummer Sports Park, 6:15 p.m.
May 18-23 — Regionals, TBD