Previewing local high school boys, girls soccer teams
The high school boys and girls soccer seasons begin Aug. 15. Here are season previews for area schools.
Smithville boys
The Smithies will learn a lot this season about whether it has transitioned into an annual powerhouse instead of one that makes a run once in a while.
The telling factor for the Smithies, who finished 12-6-1 overall last year and 8-2 in the Wayne County Athletic League, second behind unbeaten Norwayne, will be whether they can overcome some significant losses.
Nine letter-winners are gone from the team that lost 1-0 to Rootstown in the Division V Northeast District 2 championship game. Only seven are back. So Smithville faces the rebuild-reload question.
“We are replacing a lot of varsity minutes this season,” Smithies coach Dave Zimmerly said. “This team will be more dynamic in attack but will forfeit some of its solidity defensively. … I expect us to score goals more consistently than we have in the past. I expect us to be more of an attacking threat and have the ability to press higher up the pitch.”
Leading the way this year will be senior goalie Luke Derodes and his classmates Josh Yates (defenseman), Diego Vasquez (midfielder) and Taygen Nelson (midfielder), along with juniors Matthew Lanneaux (forward) and Kamalani Costanzo (defense), and sophomore midfielder Luke Snyder.
Looking to contribute immediately as newcomers will be senior midfielder Burton Buckner, senior defender Wyatt Skarl, and a trio of sophomores in forwards Kalen Indermuhle and Braden Gump, and defenseman Emmet Steiner.
“I’m excited to see what this team can accomplish,” Zimmerly said. “We bolstered our out-of-conference schedule, with none of our opponents finishing outside of regionals last season. This will be a battle-tested team come tournament time.”
Smithville girls
Much like their male counterparts, the Smithie girls were hit hard by graduation. Seniors played key roles all over the place in a 9-8-2 overall season that saw Smithville finish 5-4-1 in the talent-rich Wayne County Athletic League and finish as runner-up in the Northeast Division V District 2.
Nine letter-winners did not return from that team. That won’t be the case over the next couple years combined. Not even close. There are no seniors on the 2025 roster and midfielder/goalkeeper Shelby Schenk is the only junior. So don’t go to the next couple graduation ceremonies if you’re looking for girls soccer players.
Back with Schenk are four sophomores, defenders Claire Buller and Emily Marty, and forward Maddie Hartzler and Kerfina Vasquez.
“We are extremely young with no seniors and only one junior,” Smithies coach Andy Keener said. “We are needing our youth to develop into leaders quickly.”
Looking to fill some holes left by graduation will be sophomores Cayle Krug (forward), Olivia Welty (midfield), Lillee Taylor (defense), Katie Miller (midfield) and Mallory Johnson (midfield); and freshmen Jayden Leach (defense, midfield), Savannah Weidman (miffield), Addrianna Bowling (midfield), Josie Gasser (midfield), Isabella Gajda (forward), Alaina Sheets (defense/goalie) and Lena Durstienne (midfield/defense).
Waynedale girls
The Lady Golden Bears have the unenviable task of competing year in and year out in the Wayne County Athletic League, where state and regional powers like Chippewa and Norwayne never seem to take a breath. Many teams would be hard-pressed to top Waynedale’s 7-11 record a year ago, 2-8 in the WCAL, against that level of competition.
Coach Kelly Lawlis saw eight players move on from that squad but returns nine, including what should be a solid senior class. The upperclassmen include Madelyn Baney (defense), Grace Cerniglia (midfield), Kailynn Keister (forward), Carleigh Lynch (forward), Anna Pittman (forward) and Abigail Polen (midfield).
Also returning are junior defender Raegen Bigley and sophomore forward Piper Polen. They are joined by a quartet of freshmen newcomers: goalie AJ Hostetler, defenders Brianna Reifsnyder and Gabby Troyer, and forward Becca Wickens.
It doesn’t help that none of the returnees is named Nayeli Cruz, who scored or assisted on 26 of the team’s 40 goals last season. Cruz leaves behind quite a legacy in the Lady Golden Bears program.
“When you graduate an All-Ohioan and your top goal scorer in program history there are big shoes to fill and adjustments to be made,” Lawlis said. “We will start the season more defensive-minded as we return some key starters. We are excited to see who will emerge as our goal scorers.”
Pittman showed potential to fill the void left by Cruz. As a junior she scored 10 goals and had a pair of assists. Polen added six tallies and one assist, so the team won’t be without punch.
“Piper Polen and Anna Pittman have made a name for themselves in cross country and track and give us a burst of speed in the attack,” Lawlis said. “We have seven seniors, so there’s a lot of experience that we can lean on.”
Lawlis will lean on everybody, most likely. The Lady Golden Bears will not lack talent but they do lack depth.
“We have a very small team,” she said. “That is our main weakness. However, we’re bringing in four freshmen that I’m very excited about.”