Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Fresh faces, fresh perspective

Lecanto basically replaced its entire defense, but has stayed successful.

By DAWN REISS
Published January 16, 2007

LECANTO - Maggie Mueller boots the ball toward the goal, the shot going high into the net as Lecanto keeper Andraya Avery leaps to her right to stop the ball.

The line of waiting players gasps slightly, then goes back to talking.

"I can't keep them quiet," Lecanto coach Kevin Towne jokes. "Even if I wanted to. I've never had a noisy bus until this year."

It's the day before the Class 4A, District 6 tournament and though the Panthers are all smiles and giggles, there is something serious on their mind: a district title. The Panthers came close last year, but lost 2-1 in double overtime to Citrus in the district final. Two years ago the Panthers were upset in the first round after winning the district title the previous season.

After graduating a slew of seniors, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Lecanto. The entire starting defense is new and two freshmen start, right defender Denise Aleman and center-midfielder Jamie Good.

Avery was brought up from junior varsity, while junior left defender Courtney Smith and junior stopper Jessica Fulford filled out the defense with junior Erin Carpenter, who moved from center-midfield to sweeper.

"We are extremely young," Towne said. "After you replace five in the back, one in the middle and two are freshmen we thought we could do something, we just didn't expect to do what we have so soon."

What Lecanto has done is produce a 14-4-2 season. A 9-2-1 district record has the Panthers No. 2 in today's tournament. Lecanto's two losses came to top-seeded Belleview; its lone tie was 3-3 with Citrus.

The defense has produced 12 shutouts, led by Avery, who has made 125 saves and allowed just 20 goals.

"I was worried about the defense since everyone was new," senior forward Natalie Burnett said. "But since tryouts, since Day 1, I knew we had something good."

Having a stronger-than-expected defense has helped Mueller and Burnett, who have combined for 55 goals and 27 assists. But even with their eye-popping numbers, seven others have scored 20 goals, and almost every player on the team has an assist in at least one. Burnett, who has scored 35 of her 104 career goals this season, is one goal from being the all-time leader at Lecanto.

Now the Panthers just hope to put it all together for another postseason appearance.

"We know what we need to do," Fulford said. "In the last few minutes of a game it all comes from the heart. Our team seems to pull it out. We know where to find it."

Class 4A, District 6

Where: Belleview, 10400 SE 36th Ave

When: Today-Friday.

Seeding (district record): 1. Belleview (12-0), 2. Lecanto (9-2-1), 3. Citrus (8-3-1), 4. West Port, (6-5), 5. Crystal River (4-8), 6. Dunnellon, (2-10), 7. North Marion (0-12).

Schedule: Today - West Port-Crystal River, 4 p.m.; Citrus-Dunnellon, 6 p.m.; Lecanto-North Marion, 8 p.m. Wednesday - Belleview vs. West Port-Crystal River winner, 8 p.m.; Citrus-Dunnellon winner vs. Lecanto vs. North Marion, 6 p.m. Friday - Championship, 7 p.m.

Skinny: Belleview is a strong, balanced senior-laden team, led by midfielder Ali Shaw, an aggressive ball distributor. Lecanto has the one-two punch up front with seniors Maggie Mueller and Natalie Burnett, who have combined for 55 goals and 27 assists. The Panthers defense has posted 12 shutouts.

Citrus has a lot of youth, but some of that youth got a taste of Citrus last two district title runs. Sophomore Erica Stanley leads Citrus in goals with 16, while lone senior Amber Jordan leads the team in assists with 12. Crystal River is led by senior Melissa Blackstone in goals (14) and assists (eight). Keep an eye on freshman center-midfielder Becca Reynolds and workhorse junior sweeper Yuri Palhof. Either has the ability to be a playmaker for the Pirates.

Dawn Reiss can be reached at dreiss@sptimes.com or 352 860-7303.

[Last modified January 16, 2007, 06:32:13]