Lady Warriors hit the pitch

Lady Warriors hit the pitch

Worland opens season tomorrow vs. Riverton at 3 p.m.

By ALEX KUHN

Sports Editor

WORLAND - The winter sports season ended Saturday in Casper but this week the spring sports season kicks off. The Worland Lady Warriors soccer team begin their march toward the 3A State championship Thursday as they host the Riverton Lady Wolverines at 3 p.m. at Worland High School.

The Lady Warriors are hoping the third time is the charm as they look to make their third-consecutive championship appearance but this time bring home the year's top hardware. Many of the players from those teams have graduated out of the program and Worland will be looking to a younger group for this season.

"I feel like we have a lot of potential. The girls are working hard and are positive. I feel that our team will be similar to the volleyball and basketball team's this year. We have a lot of talent and athleticism and it will be about coming together as a team, utilizing that younger group because we need them," said WHS girls soccer coach Daniel Warren.

The positive is the Lady Warriors do return valuable experience, three-time All-State selection and last season's leading goal scorer, Casey Wassum, and Jaycee Page, who will help quarterback the defensive line, are back for their senior season.

Having started in both championship matches, Warren will be relying on Page and Wassum along with fellow seniors Kaeli Martinez and Elise Washington to help guide their younger teammates through the season.

The Lady Warriors will need to find a way to replace 36 goals from last year. Fifteen of the 36 were scored by Hannah Ozman who graduated and is now playing for Sheridan College. The 21 were from BreAnna Parra, who is out for the season due to a knee injury during the basketball season.

Warren said, "That comes back to what I was saying before, we do have a lot of younger players and our experience will step up to help those younger players find their space and spot. From what I've seen so far that girls have responded, they're taking to the leadership of the older girls and the older girls are happy to oblige. There's a lot of positivity and a lot of comradery to get them where they need to be."

"BreAnna Parra was a freshman last year and really came into her own at the end of the season and I think it's no different with this group of freshman. Someone is going to have to blossom for us," added Warren.

Worland's keeper the past two seasons Hannah McEndree also graduated, giving Worland a new keeper in junior Karla Gaytan with freshman Reagan McBee learning the ropes as well.

The contenders for the 2018 title, other than Worland, will be Cody, the heavy favorites as they return a majority of their roster from last year's championship, Buffalo and Star Valley. "I feel like Buffalo is going to bring the heat this year and Star Valley is going to be good as well too," said Warren.

The nice thing about the early part of the season for the Lady Warriors is their matches for the rest of this month and part of April are all at home. Their first four matches will be at Worland High School which includes the Pinnacle Challenger's Cup tournament April 6-7.

During this home stretch Warren wants the rest of her team to develop leadership qualities along the level of Page and Wassum.

"We've been working a lot on leadership, the past two years we've had strong leaders on and off the field. Wassum and Page will be the top leaders but we need more to step up and join them. We've been working on speaking up to each other and take on those leadership roles with one another, and that way we can succeed," said Warren.

Note: Friday's match vs. Lander Valley has been canceled due to Lander's lack of available players. As of press the match has not yet been scheduled.