The Dexter Tigers girls soccer team will need to be ready each time they step on the field this season. The Tigers have a schedule filled with teams that are expected to contend for a tournament spot. That schedule includes PCHS, Central,Penquis,George Stevens,and Orono
who will be battling for a class C tournament berth. It will also include Foxcroft who is expected to contend in class B and Searsport who won 11 games and reached the class D south semifinals last season.
“If we step on the field and we are not ready to play, we are going to lose. That is the mind set we should have every game,”Dexter coach Jody Grant said. “You know there are zero cupcakes. If we are not ready to play they (the opponent) will be.”
Dexter reached the tournament with a young group last season. That young group is now a strong nucleus of mostly sophomores and seniors. The Tigers lost 1-0 at Mattanawcook in a preliminary round game last October.
“I think we will do better than last year, because we have a large group of seniors. We had a large group of freshmen last year, a lot were rushed into roles and they weren’t ready for them,”Dexter senior Ashley Reynolds said. “After having that experience, we have a strong sophomore group this year. Even after we’re gone, we will have a strong team. Most of us have varsity experience.”
Grant added, “Hoping for tremendous gains. They went through 15 games as freshmen, hopefully a lot of learning took place. You expect at some level to see some growth. They are no longer raw freshmen who are wide-eyed.”
The Tigers return three of their five leading scorers in Reynolds, Hannah Dorman, and Danielle Cummings. Kayli Cunningham and Jasmine Woodard will be among the many key players in front of second year goalie Reaghan Patterson.
“We had a first year goalie last year (Patterson). She played terrific. This is her senior year, she comes back with a year of experience under her belt,”Grant said. “She made some fantastic saves last year with a young and inexperience defense in front of her. For a first year varsity goalie she did an excellent job.”
Patterson added, “I wasn’t sure what I was doing last year and I was scared to dive. I feel better this year. We only lost two defensive players.”
Schedule
- 9/3- VS PCHS- 10 AM
- 9/7- VS Central- 4 PM
- 9/9- @ Penquis- 4 PM
- 9/13- @ Foxcroft- 4 PM
- 9/16- @ George Stevens- 4 PM
- 9/21- VS Searsport- 4 PM
- 9/23- VS Penquis- 4 PM
- 9/26- @ Orono- 4 PM
- 9/28- @ PCHS- 4 PM- Live Audio
- 10/1- VS Foxcroft- 11 AM- Live Audio
- 10/8- @ Central- 10 AM
- 10/12- VS Orono- 4 PM
- 10/14- VS George Stevens- 4 PM
- 10/18- @ Searsport- 4 PM
