Girls soccer
Dan Bates / The Herald
* Monroe returns its entire starting lineup from last season’s team, which compiled a record of 14-4, won the Wesco North championship and a berth in the Class 4A state tournament.
Five to watch
Here are five local girls sure to light up soccer fields this season. All but one of them made The Herald’s 2004 All-Area Girls Soccer First Team (Cascade’s Brittany Gegax was a Second-Team selection).
Dani Oster, Jackson senior midfielder: Heavily recruited speedster has a nose for the net (20 goals last season). Hopes to guide Jackson to its second-consecutive Final Four and another Wesco South title. Plans to play for Oregon.
Chelsea Bumbaugh, Monroe senior midfielder: Made a verbal commitment to play for Washington; also considered Washington State and Oregon. Scored a team-high 15 goals and tallied five assists in 2004.
Kerstin Torrescano, Mountlake Terrace senior forward: Followed up solid sophomore effort (seven goals) with a team-high 14 goals and six assists a year ago. Terrace coach Jerry Myers calls her the total package: “She’s got size, strength, speed and a great shot.”
Brittany Gegax, Cascade senior goalkeeper: The four-year starter played every minute of every league game last season and is the school’s all-time leader in shutouts, according to Bruins coach Jamie Gay. The 5-foot-3 Gegax “has made up for a lack of stature with good work ethic and good mechanics,” Gay said.
Samie Gillie, Cedarcrest senior defender: Captain known for shut-down “D” and calming influence on teammates. Gillie “has a lot of poise and she’s just real patient,” Red Wolves coach Robert Johnson said.
Mike Cane, Herald writer
It’s always comforting to return to a full cupboard. This year for Kathleen Potthast, it’s more like a full house.
Potthast, Monroe High School’s girls soccer coach, has plenty to smile about these days, thanks to a Bearcats team that returns its entire starting lineup. Those players fueled the team’s successful 2004 run that included a 14-4 overall record, a league championship and a trip to the Class 4A state playoffs.
With the season set to begin (Monroe hosts Stanwood at 7:30 p.m. tonight at its old downtown stadium), Potthast is revved up to see how high her Bearcats can go. They are favored to win the Wesco North and play deep into the postseason.
“I’m very excited,” Potthast said. “The girls are pretty pumped up as well.”
But enthusiasm hasn’t morphed into overconfidence, a common snag for ultra-talented teams.
“You want to repeat what you did last year and then go further,” Potthast said of Monroe’s 2005 goals, “but not get too cocky. The girls realize that too.”
One key for Monroe will be the performance of its seven seniors – the most Potthast has had since 1996, when 10 seniors helped the Bearcats take third in the state. There are significant similarities between the groups, Potthast said.
“These girls compare to them,” the coach said. “They’re determined, and all seven of them are good leaders – go-getters.”
One of those aggressive seniors is midfielder Chelsea Bumbaugh, a quick, dangerous offensive player who has made a verbal commitment to play for the University of Washington. Bumbaugh led Monroe with 15 goals last season and added five assists. She said the Bearcats are focusing on teamwork and positive thinking, which will help them navigate through this season’s inevitable trying moments.
“I’m just really, really excited for our first game,” Bumbaugh said. “We’ve built off of last year, so I think we’ll be even better.”
Monroe lost 1-0 (7-6) in a shootout against Stadium in its first-round state playoff game last year. Stadium advanced to the state championship game, proving that the Bearcats can hang with the best. Now Monroe is ready to prove it can reach the top.
Other Monroe standouts include forward Ashley Julian, and defenders Kris Sowers and Kayla Bell, all seniors. But the Bearcats’ talent extends beyond its senior class. Juniors like midfielder Keena Hopkins (12 goals, seven assists) and goalkeeper Kayla Wangner (eight shutouts) are also crucial contributors.
Snohomish coach Dan Pingrey, whose team joins Mount Vernon, Stanwood and Cascade as squads expected to challenge Monroe in the North, called Hopkins Monroe’s most dangerous offensive player. She won a state lacrosse championship in May, earning first-team all-state honors.
Much of her soccer success stems from her ability to locate open teammates.
“Most people tell me that I have good vision of the field,” Hopkins said.
With so many talented players, Monroe needs to maintain unity and an unselfish attitude to fulfill its dreams. The Bearcats seem well on their way.
“We have really strong leaders,” Hopkins said, “and really goofy ones. They treat everyone very well.
“It’s one big family.”
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