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| McKenzie Gleason (7) and Aly Hardy (5) fight for a ball during Tuesday's game while Enosburg's only scorer, Rachel Lombard, looks on (All game photos soon available on www.fcsportsonline.com |
Readers of my first two game entries will be glad to see I finally have something positive to write after a match. Let's get to some quick thoughts on the Hornets and Comets.
This was my second Enosburg (1-2) game of the season, and significant progress has been made from its first game to today's third. The Hornets are extremely young (four freshmen and three sophomores all see good playing time) and are naturally going through some growing pains. To make matters worse, Enosburg plays a brutal Division III schedule - coach Donna Flanders pointed out to me that her team won't face another D-III team until the playoffs. Their schedule includes two games with D-I BFA and another pair with "might as well be in D-I" Milton. Freshmen like Michaela Lombard and Natalie Jackson and sophomores Shayley Russell and Chloe Longe are already playing beyond their years. Flanders pointed out that her more experienced players are doing an excellent job of tutoring (Shelby Sheridan, Kaitlin Knoff, Liza Bordo and Alice McDermott stand out as vocal leaders on this team, and I'm sure they're not the only ones). Enosburg is still lacking some chemistry and confidence. The chemistry is there, I found this out firsthand while helping with their team photos yesterday, it just doesn't translate to the field yet. The confidence will be tougher. Last year's team was anchored by seniors with great confidence and attitude, those roles still need to be filled on this team. It'll be tough for this young team to gain that confidence with such a tough schedule, but here's hoping they find it.
This was my first look at BFA (2-0) this season, and I was pleasantly surprised. The girls looked and acted like they've been playing together for years. Coach Jake Toof (and assistant Dave Martin) must be doing something right, his teams always seem to be having a great time. What I couldn't figure out from today's game was exactly what BFA's identity is going to be this year. Last year, 10 solid players stood in behind superstar Olivia Biron. This year there is no superstar. Not to say that's a bad thing, the balance I saw today was refreshing. A team full of fairly equal players is likely to get along well (this team clearly does) but I'm interested to see who this squad will turn to when it needs a late goal. In writing my game report for "The Messenger," I named four midfielders and forwards who contributed to an attack at some point Tuesday, and that excluded the five players whose names ended up in the scorebook! Elizabeth Qua, Lauren Larose, Kate Dillon and Aly Hardy all look capable of taking the alpha dog role offensively, but that contest could open up even more as the season goes on. Defensively the Comets are solid too, but the leader in the back is not TBD, it's clearly Kiah Hamner. Hamner, usually the smallest girl on the field, clears the ball with the foot of a giant and is nearly impossible to get around as far as I can tell.
It looks like I'll have to miss the BFA @ Milton girls game Saturday at 11 because of work, but I suggest any local soccer fans check it out.
**Full game article with photos in 9-14 edition of The St. Albans Messenger
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