This year’s Houlton Lady Shires have some big shoes to fill, as the team graduated six starters — Jessy Dickison, Alana Pratt, goalie Tanika Toby, Abby Deveau, Bre Longstaff and Sam Keegan — who over a four-year span had played 61 games and had lost only 14 times.
A year ago, the Lady Shires allowed 11 goals in 16 games and were defeated in the semifinals by Fort Kent, 3-0. The Lady Shires had played Fort Kent twice on the year with both games ending in ties, 1-all
and 0-0.
“We certainly are a different team than the one we had last year,” said Houlton coach Tim Tweedie. “With the loss of six starters, we have a lot of production that needs to be replaced if we want to replicate our strong performance from last year.
“I know we have the parts to do it,” he added.
The Lady Shires were ranked No. 2 in the Class C standings with a 10-3-3 record.
The Lady Shires bring back a strong core of players in Emily Mooers, the team’s leading scorer from a year ago; Madelene Anderson, Natalie Hill, Katie Condon, Chelsea Gentle and Emma Drew.
“I am really looking for these girls to carry us at the beginning of the season as we break in some younger, inexperienced players,” Tweedie explained.
Mooers had spent her time honing her soccer skills to become a more complete player, according to her coach. She played all spring for Seacoast United’s Premier Team in Bangor and “had a lot of success with them,” Tweedie added. “She and Madelene are both very intelligent and have tremendous leadership qualities.”
Tweedie said that juniors Hill, Gentle and Condon have each started every game since entering high school and will be joined by classmates Drew and Pratt, as key players for the team.
“Natalie is a work horse that we depend on to control the midfield and to help put the ball in the net,” said Tweedie. “She makes everyone around her better.”
Gentle, according to her coach, is one of the best defenders in all of Eastern Maine.
“She is the one player we cannot afford to lose to injury,” said Tweedie. “She is the only returning player from our back five (four defenders and goalie) who allowed only 11 goals in 16 games last year. She is the quarterback of our defense.”
Houlton has two promising goalie prospects in Hannah Foley and Aspen Flewelling in the pipeline.
“But, by the end of summer, I felt like they each need a bit more work before they are ready for the varsity level,” said Tweedie.
So, Condon got the call and will move from starting striker to goalie.
“She has been asked to make the biggest adjustment,” said Tweedie. “Katie enthusiastically agreed to make the move and so far, she had done it quite seamlessly. Her field experience allows us to play the ball back to her, which in turn, spreads out the other team’s defense. She is going to be a force.”
Drew and Pratt, along with Elizabeth Ward and Emma Gallop will anchor Houlton’s defense.
“They played well this summer and are still working hard at their craft,” said Tweedie. “But, they have a ton of work to do if we are to match the quality of defense we saw from last year’s team. I have complete confidence that they can do so.”
The biggest challenge facing the Lady Shires is breaking in all of the younger players.
“In all, we had 14 freshmen try out and they are a group that had a lot of success at the younger levels,” explained Tweedie. “Making the jump from junior high to varsity soccer is not easy. We need to remain patient while still keeping our expectations high.”
Tweedie said that Kolleen Bouchard, Alexis Miller, Tyra Gentle, Mia Hanning, Claire Gilpatrick and Rebecca Mooers will see minutes at the varsity level..
“Many more are knocking on the door,” he added.
The Lady Shires return upperclassmen Megan Collett, Kelly McLaughlin, Allix Hanson, Hannah Jacobs, Mackenzie Hunt and Emma Peterson.
Even with the goalie adjustment and rookie players, Tweedie expects his team to fall within the top three or four teams along with Orono, Fort Kent and Madawaska.
“I am confident that we will be a much stronger team in October and November than we are right now,” said Tweedie. “I think we are pretty good right now because these kids have put in a lot of hard work. But, we are still figuring some things out. So, we are not there yet.”
Tweedie knows that if the team continues to work hard every day and continues to get better, they can have a deep playoff run.
“I keep telling them that our goal is to be a great November soccer team,” he said.
