New faces to help lead girls soccer

With a lot of new faces expected to make an impact for Boulder City High School girls soccer, the season couldn’t have started off any better after defeating 4A Sunrise Mountain 3-0 in their season opener on Aug. 13.

“Overall, we played well,” head coach Kristen Shelton said. “The girls are still learning how to connect with each other on the field, but I saw some really positive plays. These first games are about figuring out what works and what doesn’t, so it was good to see what we can improve on, as well as what we can continue to use.”

Making an impact early, sophomores Savanna Starley and Kora Remedi each scored a goal for the Eagles, part of a youth movement that features five underclassmen on the roster.

“Both of these girls played as freshmen last year, so I was not surprised by their abilities up top,” Shelton said. “They are both strong forwards for the team and I expect them to have a lot of points this season.”

Also scoring a goal for the Eagles was junior Brooklyn Rose, while junior Tayla Huntsman and sophomore Lila Stankovic each dished out assists.

Active on defense, senior captain Hannah Stark made a team-high four steals, while senior Shasta Ryan-Willett added three steals and sophomore captain Malley Jobin finished with two.

“Hannah is returning for her fourth year on varsity and has great intuition,” Shelton said. “She is able to read plays well and makes good decisions on the defensive end. I think she will help set the tone for our games. Shasta Ryan-Willett and Malley Jobin are both players who help keep the midfield strong and are just all-around solid and reliable players.”

In the net, four-year starter Reese Pusko earned the shutout, making five saves on the day.

“We are grateful to have Reese and her experience in the net again,” Shelton said. “She has come a long way and is able to use her knowledge she has gained so far to make confident choices in goal.”

Off until Sept. 1, the Eagles will look to build upon their strong start, as they hope to make a return trip to the postseason.

“This season we are really focused on coming together as a team, since we have many new faces,” Shelton said. “My expectation is for these girls to learn to trust each other on the field and hopefully collectively improve throughout the season. I’m excited to see what this team is going to do this year.”