By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
Coming off of last year’s historic season, the Moapa Valley Girls Soccer team now asks the question: ‘What is next?’ Luckily for the Pirates, success could be right around the corner. Despite the departure of key seniors, spots will be filled by younger girls ready to make an impact.
Head coach Lisa Cornwall says this year’s squad is more adaptable than ever before. “I’m actually really excited because I have a lot of versatility on my team,” Cornwall said. “Sometimes you have one player who you can’t switch in different positions. But now I have a deeper bench and I’m really excited for the younger players coming up. It’s going to be really exciting”
One of the team’s other strengths will be their ability to play together, Cornwall said. That has already started to come to fruition. “I think they are just really good with one another,” Cornwall said. “They get along really well and it’s just good team bonding already.”
This year’s team will be filled with returning players likely take charge of the team. Seniors Lainey Cornwall, Ashlyn Western, Sierra Staheli, and Peyton Schraft will be among those leading the younger girls towards another playoff run.
“Whenever you have older players who have been in those situations they can talk with other players and hopefully guide them right along,” Cornwall said. “I keep pushing my expectations higher and the girls keep going to it. I’m so impressed.”
While the team is full of optimism, there will still be bridges to cross for the Pirates. The loss of last year’s foreign exchange student Christie Eriksen as a forward will be felt. But Cornwall expects her team to fill the shoes one way or another.
“The weakness that I figure we’ll overcome will be finishing,” Cornwall said. “Last year we had someone who could calm herself down and put the ball in the back of the net. That was always the piece we were missing.”
The team still feels the sting of last year’s state tournament defeat. A loss in penalty kicks that landed Moapa just a shot away from a trip to the state tournament still lingers over. However, Cornwall believes the players who were there to experience that take something positive from the game.
“I think they learned a little something about themselves,” Cornwall said. “As a team, we play to our strengths and we can be successful.”
Despite young players filling the roles of players like Eriksen, Lexi Schraft, and Jessica Leon, the Pirates’ head coach still sees little to no ceiling for where this team can go.
“I think they’ll end up in the same spot again,” she said. “Their potential is tremendous.”
It is evident that Moapa Valley has become a powerhouse in girls soccer. How they will retain their spot at the top of the league will be exciting to see. But the team has its sights set even higher.
Girls Soccer 2018 Season Schedule
JV Varsity
Aug 31/Sep 1 TBA Mesquite Cup
Sep 04 4:30 SLAM
Sep 12 3:00 4:30 Pahrump
Sep 17 4:30 3:00 Sunrise Mtn.
Sep 24 3:00 4:30 Virgin Valley
Sep 26 3:00 4:30 Sky Pointe
Oct 02 4:30 3:00 Chaparral
Oct 04 3:00 4:30 Boulder City
Oct 08 3:00 4:30 Sunrise Mtn.
Oct 10 3:30 4:30 Virgin Valley
Oct 16 4:30 3:00 Sky Pointe
Oct 18 4:00 5:30 Mojave
Oct 22 3:00 4:30 Chaparral
Oct 24 3:00 4:30 Boulder City
Oct 30 TBA Regionals
State TBA South
All Home games in bold
Schedule subject to change without notice
