CA girls feature speed up front
By Quinn Graves
Student Intern
MARS HILL — Second-year coach Joe Levesque is looking to build on a team that graduated seven seniors from last year’s roster.
Unlike that team, which fielded a veteran defense with an inexperienced offense, this year’s team features the exact opposite. Though being young on defense comes with some disadvantages, Levesque doesn’t believe it will affect how the season plays out.
“We do have some speed up front and at midfield so that may help being a bit young on defense,” he said.
Starting at forward for the Panthers are sophomores Karli Levesque and Molly Anthony and junior Sam Kearney. The midfield will be led by senior Marissa Anthony, junior Shannon Scully and sophomore Mollie Garrison. The defense will consist of freshmen Kelsey Dominique and Jayden Giberson, senior Sydney Smith, and junior Whitney Bradbury. Junior April Santiago is getting the nod in goal to start the season.
Coach Levesque hinted that the starting positions aren’t set in stone, though, with consideration going to “the players that give the effort in practices and games.”
Key bench players this year are senior Megan King, junior Jordan Canney, sophomores Lizzy Gillen, Delaney Grass, Noelle Bailey, Ivy Davis and Nicole Gebhart and freshman Hayle Rowe.
While many of the faces have changed, their philosophy hasn’t.
“The gameplan this year is the same as last year,” Levesque said. “Keep the score low defensively so we have an opportunity to win.”
