BAGE 16, MCNARY FALL SBORTS BREVIEW, SEBTEMBER 2016
Lady Celts expect to make playoffs
By DEREK WILEY
Sophomore Sydney Snapp will start at
Of the Keizertimes
goalkeeper.
Of the 53 players in the McNary girls
At least three freshmen—Julie Dieker
soccer program, 40 are underclassmen.
(defender/forward), Sam Alfano (defender)
But that doesn't mean head coach AJ
and Aria Santana-Albright(midfielder) –will
Nash is lowering expectations.
also see the field for the varsity this season.
“We expect to go to playoffs this year
“The talent and the fitness level of this
for the first time since 2008,” Nash said.
year's freshmen made it very difficult on
“We expect to move up the standings in
team selections,” Nash said. “Right now for
conference. We're realistic.
the first time that I've been
We're still a young team. We
apart of this program we're
do have a good senior core.”
going to have two strong
Returning for the Lady
teams that can compete
Celts is last season's top
against each other (in
scorer, junior Jessy Shore, as
practice). We'll often train
well as two of the anchors of
with the top JV players so
the defense in seniors Abigail
varsity can get full 11-on-
Smith and Abi Rodriguez.
11 training tactically. Depth,
Senior Kayla Evans joins
we went from 16 strong
Shore in a strong midfield
players to 24 strong players
that also includes three
this year. That's huge and
sophomores that played on
you can't keep them all. You
the varsity team last season as — AJ Nash, Head Coach want everyone to be on the
freshmen—Natalia Gonzalez,
field so that they can grow.
Gina Munguia and Abigail
It's tough for coaches, it's
Hawley.
tough for parents, it's tough for kids because
“I'd put up our midfield against any
everybody wants to be on varsity but those
midfield in the league,” Nash said.
are the kinds of kids I want. I want people
Two sophomores that are new to the
that want to win and are upset they're on JV
program but will be counted on are Anita
and who work that much harder to prove to
Lao, who played volleyball at McNary last
me that I made a wrong decision.”
year, and Jasmine Rodriguez, a transfer from
McNary went 6-8 last year, allowing
McKay who was an all-conference defender
Blease see LADY CELTS, Bage 17
for the Lady Scots last season.
“ We expect
to go to
playoffs
this year for
the first time
since 2008.”
GIRLS SOCCER
ROSTER
#
0
2
3
4
5
6
7
NAME
Sydney Snapp
Jenna Candland
Abigail Smith
Brooke Burrows
Abi Rodriguez
Jasmine Rodriguez
Ariana Santana-Albright
YR
10
12
12
10
12
10
9
POS
G
F
D/M
M
D
D
M
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
Senior Abi Rodriguez returns in the McNary defense this season.
#
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
NAME
Katy Wyatt
Julie Dieker
Jessy Shore
Cassidy Brunkal
Gina Munguia
Kayla Evans
Samantha Alfano
YR
10
9
11
11
10
12
9
POS
M/F
D/F
M/F
D
M
M
D
#
15
16
17
18
20
26
00
NAME
Isabella Heath
Kolbie Kopp
Natalia Gonzalez
Abigail Hawley
Anita Lao
Katelyn Tallon
Scarlett Working
YR
12
12
10
10
10
12
12
POS
M
F
M
M/F
F/D
D/M
G