Midlands girls soccer preview: Teams to watch in 2016
A look at some of the top area soccer teams to watch this season:
A.C. Flora
COACH: Jamie McLeod (5th season, 57-22)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 13-6
KEY LOSSES: Reid Griffin
STARTERS RETURNING: 7
KEY RETURNEES: Allie Crossland, Grace Reynolds, Kara McMullen, Karina Tata, Mary Elizabeth Bradley, Perrin Dargan, Lauren Layden
NEWCOMERS TO WATCH: Sara Glenn Leventis, McAlpin Ott, Sawyer Brown, Kate Timbes, Emily Geiger, Amelia Gavin, Megan Pleasant
Blythewood
COACH: Kathy Knight (3rd year)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD:14-8-1
STARTERS RETURNING: 7
KEY RETURNEES: F Loranna Austin; D Taylor Barber; D Morgan Cordier
KEY NEWCOMERS: GK Claire Ellis; MF Kayla Reese
Brookland-Cayce
COACH: Emily Heise (first year)
RECORD: 16-9-1
STARTERS RETURNING: 8
KEY LOSSES: Kat Greer, Megan Probert
KEY RETURNEES: Haley Harrell, AJ Gilmore, Elizabeth McGee and Alyssa Stevens
KEY NEWCOMERS: Madeline McKeown and Catherine McKeown
Cardinal Newman
COACH: Will Plexico (2nd year)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 16-7
STARTERS RETURNING: 8
KEY LOSSES: Catherine Onate (SCISA Region 1-3A Player of the Year), Lillie Powers (All-state)
KEY RETURNEES: Kaitlyn Cote (All-state , 7 goals, 8 assists); Regan Fosmire (All-state), 3 goals, 2 assists); Ayden Boatwright (All-state, 24 goals, 7 assists).; Chloe Cobb (All-state) Ashley Maddock, (1 goal, 5 assists); Alexa Rehling (6 goals, 6 assists); McKenna Trogdon (5 goals, 2 assists); Veronika Ingwersen (Region 1-3A Keeper of the Year).
KEY NEWCOMERS: Maria Cummings; Melinda Ingwersen; Emely Adame.
Chapin
COACH: Bob Taylor (6th season, 68-42)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 19-4
KEY LOSSES: Shelby Green, Paige Whitehurst
KEY RETURNESS: Jordan Dawsey (All-state, 8 goals, 4 assists), Shelby Waites (All-region, 6 goals, 4 assists), Katie Arthur (4 goals), Hannah Shaffer (All-state); Sara Taylor (3 goals, 6 assists); Aleigh King (7 goals, 4 assists); Salley Slice (19 goals); Mackenzie Hooker (8 goals); Kaylan Nelson (7 goals); Kennedy Waring (5 goals); Hunter Stalker; Leslie Correll (3 goals); Hailey Monts (4 goals).
Dreher
COACH: David Kleinfelder (37 years, 451-232-30)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 21-2
KEY LOSSES: Kirsty Ellinger, Caroline Maas
KEY RETURNEES: Sarah Brady (All-region), Hannah Hunter, Maggie Shaw (All-state), Sam Shaw (All-region), Kendall DeBerry, Ashley Stone, Kasey Parker (S.C. Gatorade Player of Year)
KEY NEWCOMERS: Regan Dennis, Julia Rayfield, Savannah Busto
Dutch Fork
COACH: Mike Mauldin
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 23-1-1
KEY LOSSES: Mary-Jordan Hiller, Hayley Younginer, Hannah Liner, Abby Schmidt
KEY RETURNEES: Alyssa Ross, Hannah Baxter, Carson Markland, Brogan Brown, Abby Bass, Heather Spigner, Meredith Holton, Marissa Baca, Madison Tanner, Kathryn Root, Kat Hart
Hammond
COACH: Nicole Bulinsky
STARTERS RETURNING: 7
KEY LOSSES: Frances Sadler, Clara Castles, Bailey Deloach, Maddy Wassermann, Isabelle Mikell, Amelia Culbreath
KEY RETURNEES: TJ Hain, Mason Kapp, Hundley Coleman, Anne Jenkins, Maggie Adams
KEY NEWCOMERS: Rosemary Angel, Dial Kitchens, Anna Peacock, Elizabeth McCabe
Irmo
COACH: Josh Puryear (5th year, 54-38-2)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 11-12-1
STARTERS RETURNING: 8
KEY RETURNEES: Kristen Bane, Julia Gambill, Sydney Mitchell, Kara Bane
KEY NEWCOMERS: Rebekah Reinhard
Lexington
COACH: Chris Fryland (20 years, 301-67-5)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 24-2-1
STARTERS RETURNING: 9
KEY LOSSES: Payton Motley
KEY RETURNEES: Megan Classer (36 goals), Brooke Power (13 goals), Maddy Goodman
KEY NEWCOMERS: Ali Rider
River Bluff
COACH: K.C. Dunbaker (1st year)
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 13-8-1
STARTERS RETURNING: 6
KEY LOSSES: Emily Washburn, Kim Jergenson, Ashley Padgett, Carolyn Wilund
KEY RETURNERS: Mallory Foster, Alli Glenn, Delaney Gran
This story was originally published February 28, 2016 at 9:09 PM with the headline "Midlands girls soccer preview: Teams to watch in 2016."