Returning starters to bridge experience gap for Franklin Regional girls soccer

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, August 18, 2018 | 6:03 PM

The Franklin Regional girls soccer team overcame a slew of injuries last season and still made it to the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Coach Rich Garland did not think a playoff berth was in the cards from the get-go, but the Panthers filled in where needed and exceeded expectations.

“Last year, we had limited numbers and dealt with a lot of injuries, so we kind of overachieved last year,” he said. “We lost both of our forwards early in the season so we patchworked that together.

“We threw threw in a lot of younger bodies to stop the bleeding, and we were able to really put together a good season.”

Gardland’s big offseason decision starts in net. Last season, he lost Tiffany Jolayemi (now a senior) to a broken hand which forced Sydey Caldwell (sophomore) to fill in and eventually be named to the All-WPIAL team.

Garland acknowledged it will be important to find the right mix in net.

“It’s a good news, bad news to have to pick between two very good keepers,” he said. “I want to get both playing time, but also want to make sure I am making the right decision.

“That competition (between the two) is vital to us being successful on the field. No only blocking shots but commanding the fields.”

While the Panthers will be forced to rebuild with what Garland called a talented freshman class, he still has several returning starters who will bridge the age and experience gap.

Senior defender Anna Phillips and senior midfielder Makenna Grieco will provide experience and leadership Garland hopes can contribute to the growth of the freshman class.

“Anna is one of our captains, and so her behavior and understanding of the game is going to lead in one direction or the other. Fortunately for us, Anna has a strong work ethic and takes instruction,” Garland said.

Of Grieco, Garland said, “she’s a definite vocal leader and a very positive player on this team. She’ll contribute a lot to the varsity level.”

Grieco said she is prepared to take on the role of a captain and leader. She said she learned during her freshman year from the seniors that giving maximum effort in practice will translate to opportunities on game day.

“Each practice, coach really loves people who work very hard and give everything they can and leave it out on the field,” she said. “To embrace the role of the leader, I’ll carry that out and show the freshmen how to be the best player they can be.”

Returning junior starters Victoria Rothrauff (midfielder) and Olivia Dorsch (forward) have improved their game, conditioning and strength in the offseason and look to have a positive impact.

The talented freshman class will see the debut of Sydney Lindeman and Sydney Cranick. Garland said their impact will be minimal at first, but he expects them to be regular contributors by season’s end.

“I don’t want any of our freshmen to try to do too much, but go enjoy the game and recognize that the high school game is different from Classic play,” he said. “They’ll run a lot of games over a six-week period. So I need them to stay healthy and be creative.”

Brian Graham is a freelance writer.

Tags: Franklin Regional