Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 17, 1994 TAG: 9403170145
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BRIAN DeVIDOSTAFF WRITER~
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``I get the impression that this year's seniors are apprehensive about the competition,'' first-year coach Peter Lustig said. ``But I just tell them it's a brand-new season. We'll take one game at a time.''
Lustig, who was the boys' varsity assistant coach at Cave Spring last year, took the job when Dan McKinney retired at the end of last season. He inherits a team that was unbeaten in the regular season and returns six starters. Beth Wilds, a senior halfback, is the team's captain and senior Allison Beightol, who also plays basketball for the Knights, will anchor the defense.
``It's going to be a building year for us,'' Lustig said. ``We've lost a number of our stronger players. I'm hoping we'll improve as we go along.''
Coaching girls' soccer isn't new to Lustig. He moved to the Roanoke Valley from Northern Virginia three years ago and began coaching the Cobras - a team comprised of ninth-12th-graders - in the Southwest County Roanoke Soccer League. His team finished first two years and runner-up the other.
Patrick Henry was runner up to Cave Spring last season and Patriots coach Sharon McCulley likes the team she has this year. Five players from the 1993 All-Timesland team return, along with four other starters. Senior midfielder Meredith Bowden, senior sweeper Erin McCulley, junior sweeper Ayisha Whitenack, junior fullback Sarah Miller and sophomore midfielder Carrie Moore will lead PH. But will they have enough to unseat Cave Spring?
``We have a real good chance,'' McCulley said. ``We have a lot of freshmen that have played on select programs, so we have good depth from the bench.''
In the Blue Ridge District:
Five starters return to Salem. First-year coach Tracy Driscoll said her team, led by senior midfielder Heather Moore, should be strong once it reaches the middle of the season.
``I think with a little bit of refinement, we'll be OK,'' said Driscoll, who was an athletic trainer at Liberty High School last year.
In the Virginia Independent Conference:
North Cross, the defending Blue Ridge Conference champions, is favored to repeat. The reason? Nine starters return to coach Gaylyn Moore's squad. Leading the Raiders are junior midfielder Emily Cook, junior fullback Ryan Jennings and sophomore sweeper Emily Kennedy.
``We're going to be fast and experienced,'' Moore said. ``I have no seniors, but probably we're back intact from last year.''
Freshmen will lead Roanoke Catholic this season. The Celtics finished 2-7-1 a year ago, but coach Dick Hinman likes the younger players on his team.
``We have about eight freshman,'' Hinman said. ``They'll be our strongest single group. They have lots of recreational club experience.''
Freshman forward Christie Hinman, who scored 11 goals in five games as an eighth-grader, junior goalie Bethany Miller and freshman midfielder Kristie Hopper lead the team.
by CNB