Girls Soccer: Transition year yields success

Isabelle Ferm 2nd team All-State (photo by J. Lindquist)

First-year coach Tracie Randall said her team didn't accomplish all of its goals but the 2013 season was a success nonetheless.

The Tigers posted their fourth winning season in the past five years with an 8-5-5 mark and advanced to the Section 1AA championship game for the second year in a row.

"We experienced a lot of transition this year with a new head coach and a new athletic director," Randall said. "We had to make some adjustments and it took us a while to get our feet on the ground. 

"The girls were okay with their third place finish in our conference and a second in the section. Our goal was to get to state, but that may have been shooting a little high with so much legwork to get going with my not be hired until July."

Randall and her staff honored 22 student athletes at the team's post-season banquet, including 10 seniors: Isabelle Ferm, Kayla Kucala, Kelli Elmer, Kelly Kornmann, Rachael Welzin, Hannah Miller, Kenya Macias, Kailtyn LaCroix, Ashley Meister and Emma Hall.

Underclassmen recognized at the banquet included junior Destiny Schmitz, Megan Graham, Ashley Becker, Jennifer Miller, Kali Allard, Sara Zak, Emily Johnson and Nicole Doran; sophomores Liah Kiage and Dani Wright and freshmen Shannon McKnight and Morgan Reigner.

Kayla Kucala All-Missota Conference (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Ferm led a defense that held the opposition to an average of less than a goal a game and landed a berth on the Minnesota State Soccer Coaches Association second all-state team.

Ferm, Kucala and Schmitz each earned all-Missota Conference honors while Elmer and Becker received all-league honorable mention.

Randall rattled off several highlights from the season just completed, including the season-opening win over Hill-Murray; ties with South Suburban Conference schools Lakeville North and Lakeville South during the regular season; a last-minute conference win over Shakopee; an unbeaten regular season against Section 1AA teams; and a defensive effort that allowed just 13 goals all season.

The disappointments were few and far between.

"We had too many ties in games we should have won," she said. "I would have at least liked to take North to a shoot-out in the section. I believe we could have beaten them."

Destiny Schmitz All-Missota Conference (photo by Jim Lindquist)

As for next year and beyond, Randall is optimistic.

"I'm very excited for next year as I will be able to put my stamp down on the program and start  building all levels of the program. Going into a new conference, we are preparing for new challenges, challenges that we are happy to meet. They will only make us stronger and better..."

 

Randall sees a tick up in the competition level with the move to the South Suburban which had two teams in the state tournament this season.

 

"We will obviously need to step up our training throughout the year," she said. "I think we are almost there physically. We nee to start believing that we are among the best in the state....

 

"I am happy to be here and feel fortunate I had this experience with a great group of girls and their families...Each year we see more serious players and commitment. It will be exciting to see where we can go from here."