Baron at ease with lofty expectations
By JEFF BERLINICKE
Published February 3, 2005
ST. PETERSBURG - Kathleen Howe learned quickly that when you are one of only two seniors on a successful team with 10 freshmen, you have to be part big sister, part team psychologist, part scoring machine. And while she's at it, she carries the weight of a team with state title aspirations.
Howe, with fellow senior Kim Winning, has been up to the tasks all year. St. Petersburg Catholic advanced to the Class 3A regionals despite a loss to neighborhood rival Clearwater Central Catholic in the district final Friday. The Barons (12-5-2) will travel to Frostproof (17-1) for the first round of regionals today, which may set the stage for a fourth meeting with CCC.
Being a leader on such a young team has never been intimidating to Howe.
"At times I feel like I am a coach on the field," Howe said. "As a captain, I tell everyone to have a good time, but let's win. I listen to their problems and talk to the younger players and I don't mind it as long as we win."
Howe deferred to veterans during her first two years at SPC, but started to take charge as a scoring threat last season. This year she broke through and was the leading scorer in Pinellas County with 37 goals. Colleges such as Georgia, Villanova and Georgia Southern have noticed, and she will be a target of recruiters once the season ends.
Howe doesn't intend to let up anytime soon. At least not until she and her teammates get one more shot at CCC. The teams played to ties in their two regular-season games and went into a second overtime shootout in the district final before CCC nabbed homefield advantage.
"We're just trying to stay focused on Frostproof right now," said Howe, who has a 3.7 grade point average. "We are just trying to bond and spend time together. We are staying focused, but we'd like another shot at CCC."
"There's no doubt she carries the brunt of everything on this team," coach D'Arcy Clarie said. "The younger players look to her because they know nothing can bother her. She's absolutely the big sister to everyone on this team. They go to her for advice and she's up to the challenge."
The challenge for SPC is to advance beyond the opening game of regionals. Last season, the Barons lost in the opening round to Mulberry and the sting remains. Howe said the team is bent on revenge, and Clarie said Howe is ready for the pressure other teams will put on her as her reputation as a scorer has grown.
"She has to fight through double teams all the time," Clarie said. "She expects to get everyone's attention on the field and she knows she has to play through it."
After the loss in the district finals to CCC, Howe said the team was upset for about five minutes. Since then, everyone has forgotten about CCC - for now.
"We're taking it one game at a time," Howe said. "We would like one more chance, though."