HODGDON, Maine — For the third time in the past three season, the Hodgdon girls soccer squad will have a new head coach.
Amanda Stubbs, a 2006 graduate of Southern Aroostook Community School, has taken over the girls soccer program from Sarah Williams. Williams coached the Hawks to a 9-4-1 regular season record a year ago, which earned Hodgdon the No. 6 seed in Class D North.
Hodgdon hosted No. 11 Wisdom in a preliminary playoff, losing 4-1.
Stubbs is no stranger to the sport. She served as a manager for the SACS varsity soccer team for her first three years in high school and then played her senior year for the Warriors. She also coached the Hodgdon Middle School soccer team for the past two years, and has coached middle school softball for the past four years.
A part-time substitute teacher in Hodgdon, Stubbs also assists with the district’s Afterschool Program.
“I am looking forward to coaching at a more competitive level,” she said. “I like to empower my players, so I would call my style more of one where everyone is involved in the decision making and planning when possible. I like to encourage my players to take on a leadership role with the team.”
The Hawks lost three key players to graduation — halfback Jill Gough, goalie Jessica Drew and striker Taylor Desrosiers — so the squad will need new blood to step into critical roles on the team.
“We have six talented freshmen joining our team who will see significant playing time,” coach Stubbs said. “We also have six returning seniors who we will lean on for their leadership.”
Seniors Sidney Howell, Kathryn Rediker, and Shelbey Sanders will be called upon to be leaders for the defense. They are joined by sophomores Katherine Berube and Martha Wilson, as well as freshmen Catherine Smallwood and Hannah North.
Seniors Sidney Crane and Jordyn McKissick will play halfback for the Hawks along with sophomore Lauren McGillicuddy and freshmen Erin Peters and Mikyla Howland. Senior Madison Merritt will be the key cog in Hodgdon’s offensive gameplan and will be called upon to carry much of the scoring load. She will be joined by freshmen Sabra Scott and Emma Drew on the front line.
Sophomore Autumn Ganzel takes over as goalie this year after serving as the backup to Jessica Drew a season ago.
The Hawks plan to play a fast paced game, showcasing the team’s speed and quickness. “We are a well balanced team who will not need to rely on just one or two players,” the coach added. “We are a close knit team and hope to use that team unity as an advantage throughout the season.”
A few things she plans to address as the season progresses is improving ball control and moving around on the field to create passing lanes.
“I expect us to be a very competitive team and we are hoping to make a deep run into the playoffs,” coach Stubbs said. “We are really focusing on passing, communication, and conditioning. We are focused on controlling the things we can control like attitude and effort and the rest will fall into place.”
Hodgdon opens its season Monday, Aug. 28, at 4 p.m. in Washburn.
