Wolverines’ Girls’ soccer has eye on state

September 29, 2024 1:30 am
Heather Spaulding Staff photo Back row: Head Coach Bryan Leighton, Hazel Johnson, Nikky Clark Cole, Charley Lawrence-Sampson*, Lola Clark, Aryelle Gunwall, Lily Taylor, Morgan Douglass, Hazel Leighton, Juniper Reynolds, Sabine Bayas, Norah Leighton*, Atziry Orozco*, Emerald Hurley, Olive Furber, Assistant Head Coach Hannah Hopkins. Front row: Luca Pignatiello, Meadow Carlson, Georgia VanderYacht, Nylah Pieples*, Frankie Pignatiello, Dalila Chalfant, Clara Borner, Lyla Ovenell, Katelyn Rezabek. *Team Captain Not pictured: Georgia Keune, Danna Jimenez, Wren ShearerKing, Kate Curtis, Ada Greene, Ayla Weese-Young, Assistant Coach Chanel Tabares, Assistant Coach Larissa Nash, Team Managers Kate Youngsman, Team Manager River Eisenhardt.
Heather Spaulding Staff photo Back row: Head Coach Bryan Leighton, Hazel Johnson, Nikky Clark Cole, Charley Lawrence-Sampson*, Lola Clark, Aryelle Gunwall, Lily Taylor, Morgan Douglass, Hazel Leighton, Juniper Reynolds, Sabine Bayas, Norah Leighton*, Atziry Orozco*, Emerald Hurley, Olive Furber, Assistant Head Coach Hannah Hopkins. Front row: Luca Pignatiello, Meadow Carlson, Georgia VanderYacht, Nylah Pieples*, Frankie Pignatiello, Dalila Chalfant, Clara Borner, Lyla Ovenell, Katelyn Rezabek. *Team Captain Not pictured: Georgia Keune, Danna Jimenez, Wren ShearerKing, Kate Curtis, Ada Greene, Ayla Weese-Young, Assistant Coach Chanel Tabares, Assistant Coach Larissa Nash, Team Managers Kate Youngsman, Team Manager River Eisenhardt.

This will be Bryan Leighton’s first year as head coach of the girls soccer team, along side assistant coach Hannah Hopkins, and two fantastic volunteer assistants, Chanel Tabares and Larissa Nash. All three, according to Leighton, are highly skilled players with a deep understanding of the game.

“Our primary goal is to compete at the state level. We also aim to climb to the top of our conference and compete well against the larger non-conference schools we’ll face,” Leighton explained. “I believe all of these are achievable if the team stays committed to the process. Additionally, both varsity and JV are aiming to earn the highest GPA of all the fall teams, a goal we’ve historically achieved.”

Leighton grew up playing both soccer and football, but soccer is the sport that stuck with him. “I was drawn to the culture and the flow of the game. One of my earliest soccer memories is watching the U.S. Men’s National Team in the 1994 World Cup,” Leighton sad. “The swagger of players like Alexi Lalas and Cobi Jones left a lasting impression on me. From there, I played through middle school and for Friday Harbor High School as a forward.”

While this is his first year as head coach, but he has been with the program for three years as the assistant head coach and JV head coach. “Kevin Cullen, the previous head coach and a good friend of mine,” Leighton explained. “He encouraged me to move up from coaching the girls’ middle school team to the high school level, which turned out to be a fantastic learning opportunity. I worked side by side with Kevin, and I’m grateful for the mentorship he provided.”

There will be a number of skills the team will be honing this season. “We’re focused on becoming a possession-based team, which requires improving our touch, field awareness, and off-the-ball movement. We’ve already made positive steps forward, but it’s going to be a work in progress, especially in the early stages of the season,” Leighton said.

There are many players that Leighton expects to see amazing things from. “Senior, Nylah Pieples, juniors Charley Lawrence-Sampson and Norah Leighton, and sophomore Atziry Orozco have all stepped up in their decision-making and tactical understanding of the game. They’re also serving as our captains this season, and they’ve done a tremendous job leading the team,” Leighton said. “Sophomore Frankie Pignatiello has been outstanding on defense, making plays all over the field. We have many more solid players who are contributing in meaningful ways as well.”

There are some newer players to soccer who show a lot of promise as well, including sophomore Nikky Clark Cole and freshman Wren Shearer King. “Both are learning quickly and improving every day,” Leighton said. On the JV side, eighth-grader Sabine Bayas has caught the eye of all the coaches. “She’s a fierce defender and seems versatile enough to play multiple positions. Coming from a family of soccer players, she definitely has a high ceiling,” he added.

“Team sports … teach students to prioritize the team’s success, work alongside peers with different personalities and perspectives, and discover their own resilience.” Leighton explained. “We want them to do this in a positive way that builds up those around them.”

And, Leighton continued, “I’m learning as much from them as the girls as they are from me.”