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Friday, August 28, 2009
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New coach expects team to maintain tradition Brainerd girls' soccer Sports Editor One of first-year head coach Sara Rojas' objectives is to maintain the tradition of excellence the Brainerd Warrior girls' program has established.
Since 2004 the Warriors have won five Central Lakes Conference championships and two Section 8-2A titles. They finished second in the section three times and have gone 78-12-5 in the last five years.
Girls' soccer
Head coach: Sara Rojas, first season
2008 finish: 12-0-0 CLC, 15-3-0 overall.
Captains: Kaitlyn Anderholm, Madison Smith, Kellie Barnaby.
Assistant coaches: Sean Roff, Kate Bjornson.
Schedule
Aug. 28, Stillwater 5 p.m.
Aug. 29, Wayzata 1 p.m.
Sept. 1, at Buffalo 5 p.m.
Sept. 3, Alexandria 5 p.m.
Sept. 8, Sauk Rapids-Rice 5 p.m.
Sept. 10, at St. Cloud Apollo 7 p.m.
Sept. 12, at Elk River 11 a.m.
Sept. 15, at Little Falls 5 p.m.
Sept. 17, at Sartell 5 p.m.
Sept. 19, Bemidji 1 p.m.
Sept. 21, St. Cloud Tech 5 p.m.
Sept. 22, at Willmar 5 p.m.
Sept. 24, Fergus Falls 5 p.m.
Sept. 29, at Alexandria 7 p.m.
Oct. 1, at Sauk Rapids-Rice 5 p.m.
Oct. 5, St. Cloud Apollo 5 p.m.
Oct. 8, Sartell 5 p.m.
Oct. 10, Moorhead 1 p.m.
Oct. 17, Section quarterfinals
Oct. 20, Section semifinals
Oct. 23, Section final at St. Cloud State 7:30 p.m.
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Rojas, who replaces Steve Kimble, who resigned this summer, has 13 players returning from a team that went 12-0 in conference play, 15-3-0 overall, and lost to Buffalo in the section final.
The Warriors open at home Friday against Stillwater and host Class 2A's third-ranked Wayzata on Saturday. They scrimmaged Burnsville, Edina and Bloomington Kennedy last weekend and Rojas liked what she saw.
"If we can hold our own with Bloomington, Edina and Burnsville we should be able to do well with every team in our conference, if not better," Rojas said.
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Practicing for a new season Thursday were Brainerd High School soccer captains Kellie Barnaby (left), Kaitlyn Anderholm and Madison Smith. Brainerd opens at home Friday against Stillwater. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
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"I think we need to be the team that sets the tone for how the game's going to go, not react to the tone that's been set."
Brainerd will attempt to set the tone without the graduated Kelly Rosenthal, the leading scorer in program history. In her career she scored 92 goals and had 127 total points, was a two-time all-state player and the leading goal scorer in Minnesota last year (35).
Rojas hopes senior midfielders Kellie Barnaby and Madison Smith and junior forward Becca Gervais provide the scoring punch initially. Smith has 10 career goals and 19 career points, Gervais seven and 14, Barnaby three and seven.
Others who return up front include senior midfielders Kate Anderholm, Natalie Taylor and Melissa Boggs and junior midfielders Brianna Olson, Stacy Tetreault and Alese Waters. Tetreault has seven career goals and 12 points. Taylor has three career goals and Olson two.
"I hope our goals come from all over," Rojas said. "There isn't that one player, we have a lot of strong players.
"I think Madison is a phenomenal player, Kellie is too. Those two are very competitive, smart on the ball. Becca's got speed and she's in that position of scoring."
In goal the Warriors return junior Cami Anderson who started all 18 games last season, allowing just 14 goals. Rojas believes first-year assistant coach Kate Bjornson, a former Warriors keeper, will help Anderson develop.
"I'm glad we have Kate to work with the goalies because with goalies it's typically kind of like go over and practice with yourselves," Rojas said. "Kate actually brings a little more know-how because of the amount of time she played in goal. She played on a team where there were a lot of shots on goal so she got a lot of time on the ball. We also had BHS grad Erin Olejnicak come out and work with the goalies.
"Cami is a strong goalie. And, she has come out of her shell a lot as far as talking to her teammates. I think working with Kate she will better her skills."
In front of Anderson the Warriors have sophomore defender Tori Saxum, who played in all 18 games last season, and junior defender Taylor McElfresh.
"A lot of the girls have played some defense but it's never been their main position," Rojas said, "so we have two really strong defenders and we've got a handful of girls who can go back there and help out. Defense is kind of a big concern right now, finding that third defender.
"We've used Madison Smith back there and other people who are willing but I would like to keep a consistent three back there if I can."
Senior defender Jenna Rabas played in three games in 2008.
Stillwater was scheduled to play Andover the day before traveling to Brainerd. Wayzata, which finished third in the Class 2A state tournament last year, opened Thursday against Rogers.
"It was nice to get the first weekend of scrimmages out of the way to see where we are," Rojas said. "Starting out like that kind of took the pressure off coming into Friday's game.
"These are non-conference games so I'm going to tell the girls to just play strong, find the holes. I'm not stressed about this weekend's games, although it would be nice to come out with a win. You never want to start out with something bad. It would be nice to start with a conference game but this will be a good challenge for the girls to step it up."
Warriors roster
Seniors: Kaitlyn Anderholm (MF), Madison Smith (MF-sweeper), Kellie Barnaby (MF), Natalie Taylor (F-MF), Melissa Boggs (MF), Jenna Rabas (D).
Juniors: Cami Anderson (K), Brianna Olson (sweeper, MF), Stacy Gunnarson (MF), Stacy Tetreault (F-MF), Taylor McElfresh (D), Alese Waters (MF-F), Becca Gervais (F), Hannah Smith (F).
Sophomores: Victoria Saxum (D), Rachel Ford (D-F).
Freshmen: Emily Beltran (F).
MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.
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