Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Senior leadership and a pair of young talented players highlight the roster of the 2008 Presque Isle High School girls’ varsity soccer team.
The 2007 Wildcats ended the season at 10-3-3 and second in Eastern Maine Class B after losing to John Bapst in the semifinals. After a difficult season, marked by a series of injuries, the ’08 Wildcats are looking forward to this season’s lineup.
Six seniors, all four-year varsity players, return to this year’s squad.
The seasoned seniors include Maine State Soccer Coaches Association (MSSCA) All Star Sarah Porter, MSSCA All Eastern Maine Kayla Legassie, Brittany Bearden, Katrina Whittier, Hannah Cheney and Amber Griffin. Their experience will lead the new talent Chelsea Nickerson and Kayla Richards, both starting freshman.
“They don’t play like freshmen,” commented head coach Ralph Michaud about his young starters. “The people downstate know Porter and Legassie; they know they will score for us. But, they don’t know these freshman. We won’t be able to keep them a secret long.”
The projected starting lineup for the 2008 season begins with Legassie and Bearden, who is returning from knee surgery, in the striker positions. In the midfield is Porter and Richards while Nickerson and Whittier take up the wing spots. Junior Kelsey Park will start in goal.
Also joining the 2008 Wildcats are juniors Brooke Long, Alyssa Huston, Kailee Ireland, Amy Girvois, Jodie Buckley and Jenna Stephenson; sophomores Mackenzie Pinette, Tessa Ward and Abby LaPointe.
PRESQUE ISLE GIRLS’ VARSITY SOCCER – The 2008 Wildcats are, from the left in front, Brittney Bearden, Amber Griffin, Sarah Porter, Hannah Cheney, Kayla Legassie and Katrina Whittier; and, in back, assistant coach Mark White, Katelyn Hartt, Jenna Stephenson, Amy Grivois, Kailee Ireland, Alyssa Huston, Tessa Ward, Abby LaPointe, Mackenzie Pinette, Jodie Buckley, Kayla Richards, Chelsea Nickerson, Brooke Long-Postell, Elisa Jones and head coach Ralph Michaud.
Staff photo/Meridith Paterson
