Sports
Poteet girls hope to bring tradition-rich program to a new level
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
Making the playoffs is never a given, even though it just seems like it for the Poteet girls soccer team.
The Pirates have qualified for the postseason every year since 1997 and after winning another district championship last season, they once again carry high hopes into 2013.
Poteet posted a 16-5-1 overall record a year ago and was 11-1 in district play and a number of key players are back in the fold.
Senior Kaylah Hunter, the team's leading scorer a year ago, returns to lead the offense. Hunter, who has verbally committed to Baylor, picked up where she left off at the season-opening Waxahachie Highway 287 Tournament, scoring eight goals in four games.
Hunter is joined up front by Jessica Dowse, who was second on the team with 10 goals last season and gives the Pirates one of the best 1-2 forward tandems in the area.
Poteet should also have a formidable defense, with sophomore defenders Clarissa Hinojo and Bri Garcia making up part of the unit in front of senior goalkeeper Lizzy Contreras.
The Pirates have quite the tradition they are trying to build on. Poteet has not just made the playoffs for the past 16 years, it has also made noise while it was there, advancing three rounds deep on 11 occasions, including a trip in 2011.
The one thing missing from that resume is a trip to the state tournament, and while that would be the ultimate goal, the Pirates are focusing on smaller steps to lead them to the bigger prizes.
"I want to improve every game," Poteet head coach Kelly Thomas said. "And then repeat as district champions and make a long playoff run."
The Pirates have qualified for the postseason every year since 1997 and after winning another district championship last season, they once again carry high hopes into 2013.
Poteet posted a 16-5-1 overall record a year ago and was 11-1 in district play and a number of key players are back in the fold.
Senior Kaylah Hunter, the team's leading scorer a year ago, returns to lead the offense. Hunter, who has verbally committed to Baylor, picked up where she left off at the season-opening Waxahachie Highway 287 Tournament, scoring eight goals in four games.
Hunter is joined up front by Jessica Dowse, who was second on the team with 10 goals last season and gives the Pirates one of the best 1-2 forward tandems in the area.
Poteet should also have a formidable defense, with sophomore defenders Clarissa Hinojo and Bri Garcia making up part of the unit in front of senior goalkeeper Lizzy Contreras.
The Pirates have quite the tradition they are trying to build on. Poteet has not just made the playoffs for the past 16 years, it has also made noise while it was there, advancing three rounds deep on 11 occasions, including a trip in 2011.
The one thing missing from that resume is a trip to the state tournament, and while that would be the ultimate goal, the Pirates are focusing on smaller steps to lead them to the bigger prizes.
"I want to improve every game," Poteet head coach Kelly Thomas said. "And then repeat as district champions and make a long playoff run."
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