Veteran WHS girls soccer team setting big goals for itself
After going 10-5-2 in the fall of 2010, Wooster coach Les Wudarzewski is mindful of the missteps a year ago that left his girls soccer team with an incomplete feeling.
With only one senior graduated from that starting unit, Wudarzewski is mindful of the challenges from a year ago and the ones facing his team this season. He also knows expectations are high after last year’s third-place finish in the Ohio Cardinal Conference and the loss of only one starting senior, first-team OCC pick Jen Fox. With 12 letter winners and nine starters returning, plus a deep bench, the Generals were voted the top pick to win the OCC this fall and regain its 2009 crown – the first conference title in school history.
That, in part, is based on four, four-year letter winners, including fourth-year starter Jenn Philippon. Philippon scored 19 goals en route to becoming the OCC’s Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-Ohio selection. She has the ability to play any position in the Generals’ lineup, which adds to her value and makes it difficult for opposing teams to shut her down.
Beth Courson, another four-year starter and a second-team OCC selection, joins her and her value is also enhanced in that she can play any position, while defender Ashley Jolly also returns to the fullback line to start for a third season. That group is joined by second-team OCC goalie Staci Hackett, who is also a three-year starter and owned a 1.1 goals-against average last season.
Classmate Kelli Baxstrom, who lettered a year ago, will be found in the midfield or defensive middie spot in the Generals’ lineup.
Four juniors earned letters last year, including the third for middie Annalise Battig, who earned first-team all-OCC honors, and defender Sarah Mason, who was honorable mention OCC. Ellie Rickett also lettered as an outside midfielder and is “much improved” this season, while outside defender Heather Koontz also picked up her first letter a year ago.
A trio of freshmen picked up a varsity “W” last season and will be counted on to continue their improvement – defender Tanzen Angert, midfielder Sam Courson and middie/forward Gabby Cicolini, who improved enough to earn a HM all-conference nod in her debut season. Another classmate, Allie Gabalski, will be swinging between the varsity and JV this season as she looks to gain valuable minutes.
A trio of newcomers will make critical contributions to the team. Junior Cassie Wint will start on the back line, while freshmen Sidney Sleek and Lauren Taylor should find valuable minutes on the pitch this season.
That experience and depth is one of the reasons why Wudarzewski, who is starting his sixth season with a 45-27-8 mark, is looking forward to the campaign.
“I definitely think we have a strong senior class,” he said. “We are going to be more experienced at all positions. Time alone will show how fast we can be on the same page as a team and how consistent we will be as a unit with our difficult schedule.
“That’s what experience brings for you. We can go from defensive scheme to a completely different offensive style of play. It depends on whom we are playing and the conditions during the game and how we compare with our opponent, but that’s everything we’ll know in the first 10 minutes of each game. We’re going to start each game defensively because you don’t want to give up an early goal, but as the game progresses we’ll see what we need to do to change to our most effective style.”
That experience is notable in a player like Philippon. While she has the capability of breaking down virtually any defender she will face, “That’s where the experience comes in,” said Wudarzewski. “In our scrimmages, we’ve had six different girls score goals. In a way, Phil is a hard player to mark; I don’t care who is marking her. If a team commits its best defender to Philippon, other players are going to hurt them in other games.
“Time will show what will happen. I think the whole team brings experience. When you look at the clubs (the girls play for), they see different coaching styles and different opponents and different players. The girls play year-round, which makes our team stronger and better.
“Just because someone like Anna (Battig) plays center mid for us, on her club she may play defender. Depending on the game, that gives us the luxury of putting players in different positions and they are familiar with it. We benefit from those changes.”
Wudarzewski isn’t wrapped up being the OCC’s preseason No. 1: “It doesn’t have any impact. Only God knows what the season brings and that’s what I rely on,” he said.
“Without a doubt, it tells how far the program has come from six years ago, so that’s nice,” he added. “Number-wise our program is higher than ever. It’s nice to see the quality of player we are getting now and we are getting better. People see that and notice what we’ve got. They are watching us. But to predict who will win the OCC? That’s not my style.”
Wooster will open its season at Cloverleaf Tuesday, August 23, which historically has been one of the top programs in the Generals’ sectional/district.
“I’m excited and the girls are excited to finally get away from scrimmages and meaningless games and get on the field to fight for something,” said Wudarzewski. “I’m looking forward to the season and so is the coaching staff. It will be nice to see.”
With only one senior graduated from that starting unit, Wudarzewski is mindful of the challenges from a year ago and the ones facing his team this season. He also knows expectations are high after last year’s third-place finish in the Ohio Cardinal Conference and the loss of only one starting senior, first-team OCC pick Jen Fox. With 12 letter winners and nine starters returning, plus a deep bench, the Generals were voted the top pick to win the OCC this fall and regain its 2009 crown – the first conference title in school history.
That, in part, is based on four, four-year letter winners, including fourth-year starter Jenn Philippon. Philippon scored 19 goals en route to becoming the OCC’s Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-Ohio selection. She has the ability to play any position in the Generals’ lineup, which adds to her value and makes it difficult for opposing teams to shut her down.
Beth Courson, another four-year starter and a second-team OCC selection, joins her and her value is also enhanced in that she can play any position, while defender Ashley Jolly also returns to the fullback line to start for a third season. That group is joined by second-team OCC goalie Staci Hackett, who is also a three-year starter and owned a 1.1 goals-against average last season.
Classmate Kelli Baxstrom, who lettered a year ago, will be found in the midfield or defensive middie spot in the Generals’ lineup.
Four juniors earned letters last year, including the third for middie Annalise Battig, who earned first-team all-OCC honors, and defender Sarah Mason, who was honorable mention OCC. Ellie Rickett also lettered as an outside midfielder and is “much improved” this season, while outside defender Heather Koontz also picked up her first letter a year ago.
A trio of freshmen picked up a varsity “W” last season and will be counted on to continue their improvement – defender Tanzen Angert, midfielder Sam Courson and middie/forward Gabby Cicolini, who improved enough to earn a HM all-conference nod in her debut season. Another classmate, Allie Gabalski, will be swinging between the varsity and JV this season as she looks to gain valuable minutes.
A trio of newcomers will make critical contributions to the team. Junior Cassie Wint will start on the back line, while freshmen Sidney Sleek and Lauren Taylor should find valuable minutes on the pitch this season.
That experience and depth is one of the reasons why Wudarzewski, who is starting his sixth season with a 45-27-8 mark, is looking forward to the campaign.
“I definitely think we have a strong senior class,” he said. “We are going to be more experienced at all positions. Time alone will show how fast we can be on the same page as a team and how consistent we will be as a unit with our difficult schedule.
“That’s what experience brings for you. We can go from defensive scheme to a completely different offensive style of play. It depends on whom we are playing and the conditions during the game and how we compare with our opponent, but that’s everything we’ll know in the first 10 minutes of each game. We’re going to start each game defensively because you don’t want to give up an early goal, but as the game progresses we’ll see what we need to do to change to our most effective style.”
That experience is notable in a player like Philippon. While she has the capability of breaking down virtually any defender she will face, “That’s where the experience comes in,” said Wudarzewski. “In our scrimmages, we’ve had six different girls score goals. In a way, Phil is a hard player to mark; I don’t care who is marking her. If a team commits its best defender to Philippon, other players are going to hurt them in other games.
“Time will show what will happen. I think the whole team brings experience. When you look at the clubs (the girls play for), they see different coaching styles and different opponents and different players. The girls play year-round, which makes our team stronger and better.
“Just because someone like Anna (Battig) plays center mid for us, on her club she may play defender. Depending on the game, that gives us the luxury of putting players in different positions and they are familiar with it. We benefit from those changes.”
Wudarzewski isn’t wrapped up being the OCC’s preseason No. 1: “It doesn’t have any impact. Only God knows what the season brings and that’s what I rely on,” he said.
“Without a doubt, it tells how far the program has come from six years ago, so that’s nice,” he added. “Number-wise our program is higher than ever. It’s nice to see the quality of player we are getting now and we are getting better. People see that and notice what we’ve got. They are watching us. But to predict who will win the OCC? That’s not my style.”
Wooster will open its season at Cloverleaf Tuesday, August 23, which historically has been one of the top programs in the Generals’ sectional/district.
“I’m excited and the girls are excited to finally get away from scrimmages and meaningless games and get on the field to fight for something,” said Wudarzewski. “I’m looking forward to the season and so is the coaching staff. It will be nice to see.”
Published: August 17, 2011
