"We're Getting the Band Back Together"
—Elwood Blues
Yes, senior captains, Mary Sesti and Addie Denning (and the rest of that senior class), who had so much to do with helping to create last year's fantastic team chemistry are off to separate parts of the US, now freshmen in college. But, for the most part, we will be able to get the entire band back together again in hopes of making an unprecedented run to an 8th straight state title.
We return 10 starters from the 2016 state run. We also bring in a freshman class that will rank near to, if not the best, in Aquinas history, and we have had some pretty darn good freshman classes over the years.
Let's begin in the back with our bass guitars, our goalkeeper and back line, who now hold the STA Girls' Soccer record for goals allowed in a season: 7; in fact, it is one better than the boys' 2010 record of 8. Junior Allyiah Calvert (UCM commit) will be back in goal. They are still talking about her down in Wichita after her stellar performance against the greatest offensive team in Kansas history, Maize, who did not score a goal from the field against her. And with junior Nicole McEnroe behind her as well as ECNL frosh Molly Harnett, we have to have the best goalie situation in the city.
Now Allyiah will tell you how good those 4 in front of her are: 5A defensive player of the year, senior and 3-year captain, Hania Crow (William Jewell commit), returns at centerback with her senior running mate, All-State, 2-year captain, Caroline Romme (Benedictine commit). They are flanked wide by All-EKLers, junior ECNLer and 2-year captain, Alex Moss (Rockhurst commit), and senior Brigid Linder. Senior Chyna Schiltz-Ragsdale and junior Emma Dalinghaus offer two returners who will vie for time as well. And we bring in two frosh ECNLers in Moira Kelly and Carly Raunig who will be competing for significant minutes in the back or in the midfield.
And as usual at STA, the harmony of our link between our defense and our offense, our defensive center midfielder, keys so much of what goes right for us. Junior Mallory Heying settled nicely into that spot last season with so much of our success (such as winning the Tournament of Champions and that State Title) happening on her watch. Freshman ECNLer, Isa Yanes, arrives on the scene as well. And although she can play many places on the field, we know she can give us minutes as one of those valuable links between our offense and our defense.
We had so many injuries last year in the center of the field where we like to play 4 to establish our rhythm that we struggled for consistency until the end of the season when sophomore Kyli Jackson and graduate Addie Denning played along with junior ALL EKLer Margaret Pigott (KU commit) along with Mallory behind them. A concussed Mary Sesti missed most of the season as did senior Garrison Galley. Having Garrison, hopefully for a full season this year, should really help us. And Marge disrupts the middle of the field so much that opponents struggle to achieve any sort of build against us. Senior Itsy McCormick and junior Natalie Golubski came up mid-year for us in '16 to contribute a lot during our mid-season-to-stretch run. Junior Madison Janky also gave us some good minutes in the underneath spot. We also have some more talented, incoming freshmen who could help in the middle of the field as well. It will be a competitive tryout and a competitive season.
And how can we not get excited about our leads up front? Sophomore ECNLer Hallie Klanke (North Carolina commit) arrived on the scene last year to become as good up top as anyone in the city. This first-team All-Metro, ALL State, All-Midwest Region teamer claimed 9 game-winning goals or assists in her 2016 freshman campaign. We even expect more in her sophomore season. She will be joined by senior captain (Benedictine commit) Katelyn Heying who scored 5 post-season goals, two of the biggest ever in STA history in the state semi-finals and the final. Senior Anna Woltering battled a concussion for a lot of last year's season as well, but she will give us some big minutes up top. Sophomore Bella Bryson, last year, came up mid-season from JV to give us some good minutes up top. We bring in yet another freshman ECNLer, Elle Kimball, who should compete for up-top minutes too. We have already lost another freshman ECNLer, Callie Ingram, to a torn labrum for her freshman season. She just had a great summer camp.
And the season sets up nicely with just a great schedule. The Mo-Kan brings back 3 state champions, and if we play well enough, we will have a chance to play the other two. We take the band on tour in late April to play in the top bracket of the Tournament of Champions where 4 preseason top-15 teams will dot our bracket.
And this is the year Top 25 Divine Savior comes in from Milwaukee to play as on Saturday after PinkOUT. What a weekend that will be!
And EKL foe, Blue Valley West, returns almost everyone from their EKL title team and 6A runner-up. The got us 1-0 last year.
Southwest brings a ton back and will add some key new talent to go with their state quarter-final team from 2016. Calvert and Klanke had strong games in that match, allowing us the chance to take on Maize in the State Semi-finals. The 10-team EKL will be, once again, the top league in the city, and beyond.
The coaching band should all be back as well: Coach Ewing, year 29; Coach Hammons, year 23; Coach Brown (C-team head coach), year 15; Coach White, year 13; Coach Ellefson, year 7; Coach Turner, year 5; Coach Ragsdale (JV assistant), year 4; Coach Beck (Head JV), year 2. And we hope to get Coach Teahan-Brown out some to help with our keepers as she has made such a positive difference, but her young family will take precedence.
We never really know going in how things will play out. Who would have thought that last season anyone, even the 6-time defending state champ, could take down undefeated, #4-in-the-US, Maize, the highest scoring team in Kansas soccer history? But we found our rhythm, built harmony, banged those historic drums to create an unbelievable performance. Well, this year we certainly are not going to change our tune. We are going to get the band back together, add a few instruments and hopefully perform at that level that makes beautiful state-winning music.
We had so many injuries last year in the center of the field where we like to play 4 to establish our rhythm that we struggled for consistency until the end of the season when sophomore Kyli Jackson and graduate Addie Denning played along with junior ALL EKLer Margaret Pigott (KU commit) along with Mallory behind them. A concussed Mary Sesti missed most of the season as did senior Garrison Galley. Having Garrison, hopefully for a full season this year, should really help us. And Marge disrupts the middle of the field so much that opponents struggle to achieve any sort of build against us. Senior Itsy McCormick and junior Natalie Golubski came up mid-year for us in '16 to contribute a lot during our mid-season-to-stretch run. Junior Madison Janky also gave us some good minutes in the underneath spot. We also have some more talented, incoming freshmen who could help in the middle of the field as well. It will be a competitive tryout and a competitive season.
And how can we not get excited about our leads up front? Sophomore ECNLer Hallie Klanke (North Carolina commit) arrived on the scene last year to become as good up top as anyone in the city. This first-team All-Metro, ALL State, All-Midwest Region teamer claimed 9 game-winning goals or assists in her 2016 freshman campaign. We even expect more in her sophomore season. She will be joined by senior captain (Benedictine commit) Katelyn Heying who scored 5 post-season goals, two of the biggest ever in STA history in the state semi-finals and the final. Senior Anna Woltering battled a concussion for a lot of last year's season as well, but she will give us some big minutes up top. Sophomore Bella Bryson, last year, came up mid-season from JV to give us some good minutes up top. We bring in yet another freshman ECNLer, Elle Kimball, who should compete for up-top minutes too. We have already lost another freshman ECNLer, Callie Ingram, to a torn labrum for her freshman season. She just had a great summer camp.
And the season sets up nicely with just a great schedule. The Mo-Kan brings back 3 state champions, and if we play well enough, we will have a chance to play the other two. We take the band on tour in late April to play in the top bracket of the Tournament of Champions where 4 preseason top-15 teams will dot our bracket.
And this is the year Top 25 Divine Savior comes in from Milwaukee to play as on Saturday after PinkOUT. What a weekend that will be!
And EKL foe, Blue Valley West, returns almost everyone from their EKL title team and 6A runner-up. The got us 1-0 last year.
Southwest brings a ton back and will add some key new talent to go with their state quarter-final team from 2016. Calvert and Klanke had strong games in that match, allowing us the chance to take on Maize in the State Semi-finals. The 10-team EKL will be, once again, the top league in the city, and beyond.
The coaching band should all be back as well: Coach Ewing, year 29; Coach Hammons, year 23; Coach Brown (C-team head coach), year 15; Coach White, year 13; Coach Ellefson, year 7; Coach Turner, year 5; Coach Ragsdale (JV assistant), year 4; Coach Beck (Head JV), year 2. And we hope to get Coach Teahan-Brown out some to help with our keepers as she has made such a positive difference, but her young family will take precedence.
We never really know going in how things will play out. Who would have thought that last season anyone, even the 6-time defending state champ, could take down undefeated, #4-in-the-US, Maize, the highest scoring team in Kansas soccer history? But we found our rhythm, built harmony, banged those historic drums to create an unbelievable performance. Well, this year we certainly are not going to change our tune. We are going to get the band back together, add a few instruments and hopefully perform at that level that makes beautiful state-winning music.
