By Todd Stanford
The Daily Item
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Story lines abound as the 2010 soccer season gets under way. What better way to preview the new season than with the alphabet?
A is for Allen, as in Jen, who takes over the Warrior Run girls program after Kathy Hillard manned the post for 17 years.
B is for back line, which is a question mark for the Lewisburg boys team this season. The Green Dragons graduated three of their four senior starters from last year, and the fourth — Nick Talabiska — will miss the first part of the season with a knee injury.
C is for Callender, as in Shawn, the new coach for the Lewisburg boys program.
D is for defending, as in the four defending champions in District 4 (Midd-West boys in Class AA, East Juniata boys in Class A, Selinsgrove girls in Class AAA, and Lewisburg girls in Class AA).
E is for eighteen, the number of regular-season games teams are allowed to play.
F is for five, the number of teams remaining in the boys Tri-Valley League (Halifax, Millersburg, Line Mountain, East Juniata and Greenwood).
G is for the Green Dragons from Lewisburg; the girls team moves up to the Heartland Athletic Conference Division I this season after two years in the HAC-II
H is for the ham and bean soup at Midd-West’s Sports Boosters Athletic Park
I is for Ines Antenstiner, a Daily Item First Team defender last season who’s back for Lewisburg this season
J is for junior, which is Lewisburg goalkeeper Christian Gallagher’s class. Gallagher was the only nonsenior on The Daily Item’s preseason all-star team.
K is for Kentucky, where three-time Daily Item Player of the Year Caitlin Landis now plays. The Milton product is a freshman forward who has scored two goals in four games for the 3-1 Wildcats.
L is for the Loyalsock girls, the Class AA state champions in 2009; they’re down in Class A now.
M is for Max Campbell, the former Warrior Run star who’s the new coach for the Milton girls.
N is for ninety, the number of career victories for Midd-West girls soccer coach Gary Keister entering the season.
O is for overtime, which is what some of the players in the area work during the fall season. Players like Selinsgrove’s Spencer Hotaling are also kickers for their school’s football team.
P is for Payne, as in Midd-West senior midfielder Jeremy Payne, who’s the reigning Daily Item Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
Q is for quick, as in the length of the season. The season only began, but the playoffs start next month.
R is for Raymond H. Perritt Stadium in Hughesville, where many of the District 4 playoff games are played.
S is for Scot Goodling, the new co-coach with Don Troutman in the East Juniata boys program; Goodling was formerly the head coach at Juniata.
T is for three, the number of PIAA classifications for girls soccer beginning this season (there had been two since 1996).
U is for undefeated District 4 champion, something that hasn’t happened since the South Williamsport girls pulled it off in 2006 (they went on to win the state title that year).
V is for Villa Joseph Marie, the District 1 powerhouse girls team that has historically feasted on Valley schools. Can any of the local girls beat the Jems this year?
W is for Wesner, as in Doug, who’s entering his 16th year as head coach of the Northumberland Christian School girls program; Wesner had 192 wins entering the season.
X is for the third letter in Craig Taxis’ last name. Taxis is the new head coach for the Line Mountain girls program.
Y is for youth movement, which is what the Mifflinburg boys are experiencing this year after graduating many of the players who led them to the playoffs each of the past two years.
Z is for zebras, the men and women who wear the black and white and officiate the games. Just remember it’s not an easy job, so don’t give them a hard time.
