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Mike Howard is accustomed to winning.
And failing to get to the district finals for only the second time in the program’s history didn’t sit well with the only head coach the Rolla High School girls’ soccer team has ever known.
So...the Lady Bulldogs are on a mission this spring.
“We felt like we should have done better in the post-season and in conference play last year,” Howard said. “We feel like we can do much better this year.”
RHS didn’t exactly fall on its face last season, as the Lady ‘Dogs posted a 17-9 overall record and a 6-3, Ozark Conference mark.
However, Rolla fell to eventual Class 2 State Tournament Quarterfinalist Springfield Glendale 2-1 in the semifinals of the district tournament, held on a frigid night at Lebanon.
It was only the second time in the Lady Bulldogs’ 12 seasons of existence that the squad didn’t advance to the district title game. The inaugural Lady ‘Dog team of 1996 was the only other Rolla team not to make it to the championship game. In addition, the team’s third-place finish in the conference was its worst ever.
But that’s history. Howard has a deep and talented squad to make a push for the state playoffs this year.
Rolla returns 11 varsity lettermen, including nine starters. And most of those players have been either two- or three-year starters for the squad.
In goal Rolla returns junior Adrian Pogue.
At centerback is senior Rachel Zamazanuk and freshman newcomer Taylor Banholzer while the right outside back is senior Amanda Rogers and the left outside back is junior Katelyn Maddy.
The center-midfielders are senior Emily Spooner and junior Jaclyn Standfast while the outside midfielders are senior Kim Carter on the right side and sophomore Ellen Spooner on the left side.
The starting forwards are senior Ashley Kerr and junior Olivia Cox.
Other players expected to play key roles include junior midfielder Caitlyn McFarland, junior forward Kaylyn Stoll, junior back Katherine McCaulla, sophomore back Ashlee Rightnowar and freshman midfielder Kendra Wood.
Three-year starters for RHS include Zamazanuk, Emily Spooner, Standfast, Carter, Kerr and Cox. Two-year Lady Bulldog starters include Pogue, Rogers and Maddy.
The two starters lost to graduation were two-time all-state midfielder Kaitlin Bramel and back Anne Drallmeier. RHS has had but two seniors on the roster the past two years; it has five seniors this spring.
Mike Howard is accustomed to winning.
And failing to get to the district finals for only the second time in the program’s history didn’t sit well with the only head coach the Rolla High School girls’ soccer team has ever known.
So...the Lady Bulldogs are on a mission this spring.
“We felt like we should have done better in the post-season and in conference play last year,” Howard said. “We feel like we can do much better this year.”
RHS didn’t exactly fall on its face last season, as the Lady ‘Dogs posted a 17-9 overall record and a 6-3, Ozark Conference mark.
However, Rolla fell to eventual Class 2 State Tournament Quarterfinalist Springfield Glendale 2-1 in the semifinals of the district tournament, held on a frigid night at Lebanon.
It was only the second time in the Lady Bulldogs’ 12 seasons of existence that the squad didn’t advance to the district title game. The inaugural Lady ‘Dog team of 1996 was the only other Rolla team not to make it to the championship game. In addition, the team’s third-place finish in the conference was its worst ever.
But that’s history. Howard has a deep and talented squad to make a push for the state playoffs this year.
Rolla returns 11 varsity lettermen, including nine starters. And most of those players have been either two- or three-year starters for the squad.
In goal Rolla returns junior Adrian Pogue.
At centerback is senior Rachel Zamazanuk and freshman newcomer Taylor Banholzer while the right outside back is senior Amanda Rogers and the left outside back is junior Katelyn Maddy.
The center-midfielders are senior Emily Spooner and junior Jaclyn Standfast while the outside midfielders are senior Kim Carter on the right side and sophomore Ellen Spooner on the left side.
The starting forwards are senior Ashley Kerr and junior Olivia Cox.
Other players expected to play key roles include junior midfielder Caitlyn McFarland, junior forward Kaylyn Stoll, junior back Katherine McCaulla, sophomore back Ashlee Rightnowar and freshman midfielder Kendra Wood.
Three-year starters for RHS include Zamazanuk, Emily Spooner, Standfast, Carter, Kerr and Cox. Two-year Lady Bulldog starters include Pogue, Rogers and Maddy.
The two starters lost to graduation were two-time all-state midfielder Kaitlin Bramel and back Anne Drallmeier. RHS has had but two seniors on the roster the past two years; it has five seniors this spring.
Standfast is the top scorer back for the Lady Bulldogs, with 16 goals and 11 assists in ‘08. Also, Cox scored 17 goals and six assists; Kerr 12 goals and 13 assists, and Ellen Spooner eight goals and five assists.
Pogue had 13 shutouts in goal last season, allowing a total of 28 goals and a 1.08 average.
“I think this team works hard,” Howard said. “They listen and try to do things right. We’ve got kids who can score and kids who can play defense. We have kids who can distribute the ball. And Pogue is a solid keeper. We have the components to be a very good soccer team.
“We’ve got some kids who can put the ball in the net. More important, we have several kids who are interchangeable on the field. And that helps in keeping people fresh.”
Even though Howard feels his team has a chance to be special, he says the Lady Bulldogs are going to have their hands full in both conference and district competition. Arch-rival Waynesville is the defending Ozark Conference champion.
“Glendale went to the quarterfinals, so in my opinion they’re the team to beat (in the conference),” Howard said. “Waynesville is athletic as always and Mike Gow is coming over from Lebanon (as head coach) and will do a great job with them. (Springfield) Kickapoo is always tough.
“And Jefferson City is in our district this year. So it’s going to be tough.”
LADY BULLDOG NOTES -- Howard will have two assistant coaches this season. The regular RHS assistant is Erica Yarger while Sandy Kerr serves as a volunteer assistant.
RHS is slated to officially open the season on Tuesday, hosting Fatima on the Kiwanis Club Field at the Bray Sportsplex in a junior varsity-only game, starting at 5 p.m.
The Lady ‘Dog varsity team is slated to open play by hosting the Central Federal Savings & Loan/Rolla Invitational March 27-28.
Rolla is slated to play on the road at Columbia against Rock Bridge April 2, and the team is not scheduled to play another road game until April 21, at Waynesville.
