By Chris Parker
Marshfield girls soccer posted a 15-win season last year for one of the best season’s in program history. Experience played a major factor for that team with nine four-year players and seven four-year starters on the squad.
That group included all-conference selections Leiken Barton (first-team forward), Maddi Gardner (first-team defender) and Haleigh Clift (second-team goalkeeper).
“(We will miss) their experience and leadership. It’s hard to replace those type of players. Those ladies have played in the OT games and shoot outs, found ways to gut it out and win. Maddie, Leiken and Kennedy will be hard to replace,” Marshfield head coach Paul Lewis said.
One all-conference selection does return in second-team midfielder Hayleigh Cantrell. She will be a key player for Marshfield this year as a sophomore.
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“Hayleigh has taken a larger leadership role, other leadership was in place her freshman year. She was able to watch those older players who set the standard of leadership. She will be a huge part of any success we may have this spring,” Lewis said. “She will have to control the mid-field for us this year, but be surprised if she steps in at a defending position when times get rough.”
Senior midfielders Lacy Brown and Rene Ryder along with senior defender Kaylee Smith also return for Marshfield.
Youth will be the theme for Marshfield.
“We will be really young and inexperienced with only a few starters returning. I think our work ethic is fantastic and the ladies are eager to get better. That may be our biggest asset at this time,” Lewis said. “Some young inexperienced girls are going to have to step up and get thrown into the fire quickly. We don’t get much of a learning curve early with Springfield Catholic and Lebanon on the schedule the first two weeks of the season.”
Lewis will look for his team to improve throughout the season as the young players gain experience.
“Expect us to take our lumps early, gain experience and then figure it out. Last year’s seniors won four games as freshman, then improved each year, winning 15 as seniors. We know it won’t come easy, which is why this year’s motto is ‘nothing comes easy!’”
Marshfield opens the season on Mar. 23 at home against West Plains.
