By Kyle LoJacono
The Wiregrass Ranch girls soccer team had a breakout season two years ago when the Bulls won 23 games, claimed a district championship and reached the regional finals, all program firsts.
The Bulls (1-0) managed 17 victories when they moved up in classification last season, but came up just short of the seventh-year program’s second playoff berth after falling to Freedom 2-1 in penalty kicks in the Class 4A-District 8 semifinals.
“Depressing, rough, sad,” said senior defender Ashley Murphy. “It was rough.”
Wiregrass Ranch is the only Pasco County school in 4A-8, which also includes Freedom, Steinbrenner, Gaither, Sickles and Chamberlain. The Patriots, Warriors and Cowboys were all coming off playoff appearances when the district was formed before last season, giving the Bulls top-notch competition every night.
“It was a change,” said senior forward Berlin Waters. “We had to realize that it was a lot more competition than we were used to. We adjusted and learned how to play better.”
Part of the learning process was getting used to the more physical brand of soccer played in Hillsborough County.
“It was different because it was the first year playing Hillsborough teams,” said senior defender Lauren Gordon. “I think we adjust well, we just didn’t adjust in time. We tried our hardest, and I think we’ll be better because of it this year. … We won’t be scared.”
First-year Bulls coach Edwin Costa said they plan on using that physical play against their opponents.
“Our defenders who are back are big, strong girls,” said Costa, who has coached soccer for 18 years. “There are a couple upperclassmen who have come in who fit that mold as well. I think if we can, as we say, step up on them and not let the physical game get away from us and gain possession of the ball first we should be fine. Teams can be as physical as they want, but if we hold the ball and move the ball we’re going to wear them down.”
Costa took over the program after Erin Dodd, who coached Wiregrass Ranch the previous two seasons, resigned to pursue a job with a school in Doha, Qatar. Costa said he is working to build a squad that outthinks its opponents as much as it outplays them.
“I haven’t picked my formation yet, but I think we’re going to surprise some people with what we come up with,” Costa said. “I like to say that I’m tactically inclined. That’s my strength. We’re going to have different formations. … We’re trying to hold the ball more instead of just giving the ball up. That’s going to be the main focus is maintaining possession. When teams think we’re going to play up we’ll fall back, and when teams think we’re going to play back we’re going to attack.”
The Bulls shouldn’t have trouble doing either.
On offense, they bring back leading scorer in Waters (23 goals, 10 assists), along with senior midfielder Anne Cypriano (six goals, 12 assists) and senior midfielder Hannah Eder (six goals, six assists).
Wiregrass Ranch also gets a big boost with the return of senior forward A.J. Blount, who scored a single-season program record 40 goals while adding 15 assists two years ago. She missed the entire 2011-12 season while recovering from a torn ACL in her right knee.
The defense returns backliners like Gordon and Murphy, who helped limit the opposition to 15 goals in 22 games. Another big part of that goal prevention is senior goalkeeper Dayton Wetherby, who had 78 saves, 11 shutouts and a goals against average of 0.57 last season.
The unit will have to replace two-year starter Grace Olsen, who opted to focus on volleyball this year. Costa said he is happy with the defenders he has, especially the Gordon-Murphy combo.
“Lauren and me are like sisters, so we work well together,” Murphy said.
Waters pointed out that the team has a lot of experience playing together, especially the eight seniors, which will give them a leg up in pressure games.
“I think we have a chance of being district champions like we were two years ago,” Waters said. “Last year was just, we didn’t know what to expect. Now we do, and we can definitely go pretty far.”
Costa said it’s going to take that kind of conviction to reach their goals.
“The slogan this year is, ‘In order to achieve, you must believe,’” Costa said. “If you don’t believe in yourself, your teammates or me as a coach, then we’re never going to achieve and grow. They want to get to states, and to do that we need to believe and focus on the small things first.”
The Bulls hosted Land O’ Lakes Nov. 5, but results were not available by press time. They play at home against Sunlake Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker
Wiregrass Ranch roster
No. Player Pos. Yr.
1 Berlin Waters* F Sr.
3 Lauren Luzzi M Jr.
4 Stephanie Brady M Jr.
5 Karissa Leist M So.
6 Hannah Eder F Sr.
7 Bethany Sakowski D Jr.
8 Olivia Viera F Jr.
9 Julissa Lawrence M Jr.
10 Laci West D Jr.
12 Dayton Wetherby* GK Sr.
13 A.J. Blount F Sr.
14 Anne Cypriano M Sr.
16 Gabby Bierhorst D So.
18 Ashley Murphy D Sr.
19 Camille King M Fr.
20 Chloe Lipovetsky D Fr.
21 Vanessa Jordan F Fr.
22 Taylor Muzik-Eversdijk F So.
23 Lauren Gordon* D Sr.
*Team captain
