Bloomington North
2021 record: 7-8-1 (1-3-1 Indiana Conference)
Post-season result: Lost in sectional final
Schedule overview
North faces a tough team from the Grove Center on the road only three games a season. After that, the Indiana conference slate will be tough in September. The North runs for 10 days with three out of four games against the state’s top 20 predicted teams (Columbus North, Bloomington South, and a non-conference game against Bishop Chatard). The North-South game on September 14 should be a good game, with both teams looking forward to big seasons.
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The main returning players
Cougars bring back most of their essence, giving them plenty of talent and experience in the lineup. Seniors Sarah Goldsworthy and Emily Andrews are back in the back, along with senior Rachel Campbell in goal. Rookie striker Chloe Hendrix Petrie led the North with nine goals last year and will look to repeat that production. Junior Izzy Himebaugh contributes a lot in attack and defence. And head coach Jeff Thomas ties junior Talia Chavias for a midfield break season.
In addition, North Bella Winkler is on the defensive again after missing her junior season with a ruptured ACL. She was an Indiana all-conference pick as a sophomore, so Thomas expects her to play a prominent role again this year.
Prospects / Expectations
With all of that talent back, along with a freshman at Daphne Wright that Thomas thinks will be an instant squad maker, the Cougars have high hopes for this year.
North Korea’s main goals are simple: to beat rival Bloomington South, and win their group. The Bloomington sector will be quite challenging this year, with South, North, Center Grove and Terre Haute North expected to be very competitive. As is often the case, much of how these segmental vibrations occur can come down to luck. But the Cougars have the chops in place to get a good shot for any of them to win the clip and possibly go even further.
In addition to a winning and losing track record and post-season dreams, Thomas said his players aim to play an engaging style of football that fans will enjoy watching.
Bloomington South
2021 record: 20-1-1 (4-0-1 Indiana Conference)
Post-season result: lost in almost a state
Schedule overview
The Panthers will face some good tests early in the season. They face Center Grove in their second game, and Castle in their third – both at home. These two will be two of the strongest opponents the Panthers will see this year. Center Grove is now located in Bloomington, adding some flavor to this compatibility. Head coach David Braal also noted that Bloomington North will improve a lot this season and give his team a tough fight. Opponents play each other on September 14th in the North.
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The main returning players
South lost superstars Milia Miller and Kenna Alexander, but the team has plenty of talent coming back. Principal Nora Doyle will be at the top of the Panthers. She scored eight goals and three assists last year. Junior Annalize Coyne is a great asset in defensive as well as offensive set pieces. Superstar Emma Shaw was on the lookout for the second half of last year’s season after returning from injury. Junior Zoe Kunzmann is good at joining in attack from a full back position in defence. Junior Katherine Lacey was also a producer last year and will be looking to take it a step further.
Prospects / Expectations
The Panthers dominated last season and ultimately failed to achieve the ultimate goal. This year’s team is different, although some of these players are back for another try. Prall knows that a small step back is possible, if not possible – after all, it’s extremely difficult to go unbeaten during the regular season.
But Braal sees a hungry, talented team that can come together and achieve something special this year. The Panthers expect to win every game they play, despite the tough schedule. A lot can happen in the season, and some players will have to take steps forward from last year. But South certainly is capable of another deep post-season run this year.
Edgewood
Record in 2021: 11-7 (West Indiana Conference 5-2)
Post-season result: Lost in sectional semi-finals
Schedule overview
Coach Brittany Tucker revolves around the Edgewood West Indiana games on the schedule. Three games in particular get their attention: Sullivan at home on August 22, Northview at home on September 13, and West Vigo at home on September 28 to close out the regular season. West Vigo beat the Mustang for the conference title last year, and Northview has also had a solid season. Tucker said the Sullivan game, as their first team game, is a good measuring tool for Edgewood to see where they are in the rest of the season.
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The main returning players
Edgewood lost a big class of seniors last year, so the Mustang will count on a lot of new faces. Young forward Emma Edwards is the main returnee. She finished second in the team last year with six goals and tied for second place with two passes. Junior Alex Smith scored two goals and assisted two more last year, and has taken on a more prominent role this year. Freshman Ryan Venegas should see more playtime this year.
Tucker sees two new students, Parker Waite and Xenia Venegas, playing major roles for Edgewood as well.
Prospects / Expectations
Mustangs will play a different style this year than they did in 2021. Tucker noted that Edgewood was strong defensively last year, and this year she expects to be a very offensive team. But she doesn’t think the change will see her team’s overall performance falter.
Edgewood was a winning team last year, and Tucker sees a team capable of doing the same this year. The Mustangs are aiming to win their conference, which will surely give them a boost on their way to their segment. Withdrawing that will depend on how well – and how quickly – the team works together and adapts to the new players in the squad.
Follow Herald Times sports reporter Seth Tow on Twitter @SethTow, or email him at stow@heraldt.com.