Big loss means big opportunities for Farragut players
Farragut superstar Grace Sommi saw her Lady Admirals soccer career abruptly end in early June.
A torn-up knee means Sommi, an All-state defender, will miss her senior season.
“A tremendous loss,” Farragut head coach Dennis Lindsay said. “Last year I think she scored seven goals on headers on corners. It was hard to stop her.”
This huge loss, plus transfers and eight graduates saying goodbye to FHS means the 2016 Lady Admirals will lack depth.
“This is the lowest number I’ve had in years as far as overall,” Lindsay said. “We only had five freshmen try out this year. Normally we have 10 or 11.”
However, “If we don’t have injuries we’ll be fine,” Lindsay added. “… I think we’ll be in there with the other three biggies in our district [Bearden, Hardin Valley Academy and Maryville].”
Farragut’s 2015 season was ended by HVA in the District 4-AAA tournament semi-finals.
Seniors Erin VanHoozier, midfielder, and Morgan Records, defender/forward, plus junior forward Megan MacLean will be asked to carry an even bigger load for Lindsay’s 2016 team.
MacLean was All-Region 2-AAA last season. “She’s going to be a key this year I hope,” Lindsay said. “We’ve got to get her acclimated to it. She played mostly defense in club. But she’ll be fine.”
Records is optimistic. “I think our team is going to be pretty strong this year,” she said. “Sommi’s not here, but she’s still a big part of our team. She comes to all of our practices, cheering us on, coaching us on everything.”
Despite the lack of depth, VanHoozier said, “We’re doing a lot of fitness so we’re able to run up and down the field very quickly and all the time.”
One key, VanHoozier added, “We just try to find people out wide and get Megan MacLean the ball and everybody just following up.”
Other Lady Admirals to watch, Lindsay said, include junior midfielder Eryn Hill. “She’s been looked at by colleges. She’s on a Division I club team,” he said.
“[Elise] Stepp is on a Division I club team,” Lindsay added about his junior defender/forward.
About Records, mainly a defender, “Sometimes we’ll throw her up top if we need someone to come in there with an attitude to get a goal,” Lindsay said.
Goalkeeper could be a multiple-girl battle, including Elizabeth Everling, a sophomore. “And we’ve got [Morgan] Carbaugh coming in from the basketball team, and she shows a lot of potential,” Lindsay said about the sophomore. “A very good athlete, got some height to her.”
