Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Community School girls ready for soccer campaign

Cutthroats take steady aim on state tournament berth


By JODY ZARKOS
Express Staff Writer

Community School senior Cody Curran (left) was the team?s leading scorer last fall and she has 24 goals in three seasons with the Cutthroat program.

Community School girls' soccer coach Kelly Feldman is not given to hyperbole, but in her words she is "really, really excited about her team this year."

Really?

"Actually, yes," Feldman said. "We have a very strong freshman class. It's exciting to see these girls coming in ready to play. We also have a really strong senior class and everything in-between."

Traditionally a power in the Idaho 3A girls' soccer ranks, The Community School opens its 15-game season Tuesday, Aug. 28 at Filer and hosts Gooding Aug. 30 at Elkhorn.

Now in her sixth year as head coach, Feldman and fourth-year assistant Carolina Stevens guided the Cutthroats to a 9-4-2 mark in 2006, boosting Feldman's overall coaching record to 44-27-6.

Judging by the Cutthroat fall schedule, Feldman should reach the notable 50-win mark midway through September.

The Community School has had no problem gliding through regular season play.

Sun Valley has captured the district title three years running, and have appeared in the past five state tourneys, but are only 6-15 at state with third place their best finish in 2003.

Asked if her team has a hard enough schedule to prepare for the tougher games at state, Feldman answered with a candid "no."

"We do not have the schedule to do that. While we love to see the development of the league, playing the new teams doesn't really help us in that regard," Feldman said.

There are seven teams in the High Desert Soccer Conference, including the Cutthroats, Bliss, Gooding, Wendell, Declo, Buhl and Filer. Conference rules stipulate every team plays the other twice during the regular season, which is limited to 18 games by the Idaho High School Activities Association and further limited by the two camping trips The Community School takes every fall.

Generally the Cutthroats will burn two games against Wendell, whom they beat 10-0 and 12-1 last season, instead of playing last year's 3A state champ McCall-Donnelly or runner-up Marsh Valley.

While such lopsided scores are nice for the stat chart they don't do much for improving the mental and physical toughness a team needs against talented opponents.

"It's frustrating to fill up game slots when we could be playing McCall or Teton or Twin Falls, but it is what it is," Feldman said. "We try to increase the intensity of our practices, but it's hard to replicate game intensity and game pace all the time."

One thing Feldman thinks might help the post-season push is the change of venue for the 3A state tournament from Boise, where the combined 5A/4A/3A boys' and girls' meets have been staged the last three years, back to Buhl where state was last contested in 2003.

"The whole experience of going to Boise was pretty intimidating for us. We had our best finish ever in Buhl and regardless of the competition, Buhl is a comfortable familiar spot for us. I am hoping it will make a difference," she said.

Not that Feldman is looking past the regular season in the team's quest for state. Nothing is given on the soccer pitch. League games against Buhl last fall ended in the Cutthroats' favor 3-2, 4-2 and 6-2 (district championship). The games are growing closer each year.

"We had some good games with Buhl last year. They are steadily improving," she said.

Buhl qualified for state where the Tribe lost to eventual champ McCall 4-0 and consolation winner Fruitland 5-2 on the Capital Soccer Complex pitch in Boise.

Feldman said her main goal for the 2007 varsity is to be the top seed heading into the post-season in order to secure home field advantage for district. She has a strong senior class to help her achieve that goal.

Co-captains Cody Curran (24 goals three years) and Emily Eshman head up a group of five seniors including Hannah Hennessy (12 goals two years) and Jessie Curran, as well as goalkeepers Kathryn Farmer and Jean Montgomery.

"I look at the whole senior class for great leadership," Feldman said.

Juniors on the 25-player roster include Keller Gibson, Marin Shepardson, Mattie Griswold and Elizabeth Beesley.

Sophomores include Maddie-Kate Currie, Erica Eshman, Kayla Cloud, Madison Murach, Kerry Lee Nelson, Nellie Brown, Anita Vorsteveld and Madi duPont.

Feldman is very excited about a seasoned group of freshmen featuring Kelly Hennessy, Daniela Stokes, India Emerick, Emma Wilander, Freya Dickey, Natalie Vorsteveld, Bria Gillespie and Chelsea Cloud.

In the past the Cutthroats have run a 3-5-2, but in recent years, Feldman has utilized a standard 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 meaning four defenders, four midfielders and two strikers. She's not especially fond of the 4-4-2, but thinks she could have the speed, especially on the outside, to make it effective.

"Personnel-wise we have the speed up front and on the flanks to run it," she said.

With only five days on the practice field, nothing is set in stone, but Feldman projects forward slots filled by Hannah Hennessy, Nellie Brown, Freya Dickey, Madi duPont, Anita Vorsteveld, Natalie Vorsteveld and Chelsea Cloud.

"Hannah has the technical ability to be a sniper. Madi has the potential to be a good goal scorer for us and so does Nellie," Feldman said. "I am hoping to get more production from Jessie and Cody."

Like last season, when she scored a team high 16 goals, Cody Curran will play center midfield and play attacking mid in a 4-4-2.

"Cody has a nose for the net. She is physically strong and technically one of our best players. She makes great penetrating passes," Feldman said.

Midfielders are typically some of the best athletes on the team. They possess great physical stamina and the ability to support the offensive attack. They are also the first line of defense.

"I like my midfielders to do the work and get up and down the field with some speed," Feldman said.

Others tabbed for time at halfback are Jessie Curran (7 goals last year), Kayla Cloud, Maddie-Kate Currie, Madison Murach, Kerry Lee Nelson and Emma Wilander.

Key in Feldman's flat four defense (two central fulbacks and two outside fulbacks) is central fullback. Capable Emily Eshman will fill that position.

"Emily is calm, sees the field well and is a great communicator," Feldman said. "She does a lot of good things. She's our anchor back there."

A couple of candidates could join Eshman in the middle, including Keller Gibson and Erica Eshman.

On the outside, Feldman will use the speedy Marin Shepardson "probably the fastest player on the team" as well as Jessie Curran and Kelly Hennessy.

Feldman likes to put her speed on the outside because she expects her all her defenders, especially the flanking, to get involved in the offensive attack, which partially explains how the team netted 73 goals (4.2 goals per game) from 16 different players.

"They have to be willing to do a lot of work," Feldman said.

Feldman enjoys a wealth of riches at the goalkeeper with seniors Kathryn Farmer, Jean Montgomery and sophomore Maddie-Kate Currie.

"Kathryn is our most experienced goalkeeper and she's great. Jean works hard and has a good attitude and is a terrific athlete," Feldman said. "We are going to go for some kind of balance between them."

Feldman characterizes her team as having great depth thanks to "very solid" players. She said, "It's tough to tell until we get in competition, but they are a fun group of girls and I like hanging out with them."




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