HODGDON, Maine — A youth movement is afoot for the Hodgdon girls soccer team this season, with a new head coach and a bundle of new young players on the roster.
Seth Dorr takes over the varsity program for Brian Barton, who took a middle school coaching job at Houlton Middle/High School this fall. While it is his first year coaching girls soccer, Dorr is no stranger to Hodgdon athletes as he is also the varsity baseball coach, assistant with basketball and is an alum of Hodgdon High School.
“My outlook on the upcoming season is to improve on last year’s record and to hopefully secure a home playoff game,” Dorr said.
A year ago, the Hawks finished 5-9 in the regular season, and were the No. 13 squad in Eastern Class D. Hodgdon fell in a preliminary playoff to No. 4 Washburn, 11-1.
The Hawks roster includes seniors Deanna Foster, Anna Neher and Carey Suitter; juniors Jessica Drew, Jill Gough and Taylor Desrosier; sophomores Sidney Crane, Lexi McGuire, Sydney Howell, Jordyn McKissick, Kathryn Rediker, Madison Merritt, Olivia Carr, Brooklyn Brown, Shelby Sanders, Sarah Hutchinson and Megan Russell; and freshmen, Kate Smith and Katie Ledger.
“I believe one team strength will be our depth and ability to keep fresh players on the field,” coach Dorr said. “As the season progresses, I hope that our defense will continue to improve, as it will be a focal point for our team. We also look to continue to improve on possessing the ball to create more offensive opportunities. As we gain more experience, I believe we will continue to improve.”
The Hawks open their season on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 5 p.m. at Van Buren.
