STARKVILLE — For each of the past two seasons, the Starkville Academy girls soccer team has been built around talented underclassmen.
That trend will continue this season, as the team”s hopes of making it out of the first round of the playoffs will rest on its underclassmen.
With just one senior — Bailey Clark — on the squad for the second time in as many seasons, the Lady Volunteers hope their core of junior midfielders Tiffany Huddleston and Payton Allen, sophomore forward Sallie Kate Richardson, and junior goalkeeper Garland Willcutt have enough experience to help the team make a run at a state title.
The aforementioned players each have started three varsity seasons or more since they were in junior high school.
Huddleston, Allen, and Richardson have paced Starkville Academy in scoring each year they”ve been starters, while Willcutt has been first choice as goalkeeper.
“I can”t remember a time when we have gotten out of the first round of the playoffs,” Huddleston said, “but I think there is a good chance that could change this year. I know we can”t expect it to just happen. We have to make it happen.”
The program had three coaches in the past three seasons, but Robert Gardner, who led the Lady Volunteers to a 9-7-1 record and a berth in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools playoffs, will return for a second season. He and the team will open preseason training Monday with the first of 10 two-a-day sessions — more than they had last year.
The increased training schedule signifies Gardner”s confidence the team can go from good to great this season. He said it will help that players know how hard they have to work for him.
“For three years we had to adapt to how our (different) coaches did things,” Huddleston said. “I wouldn”t say it was a struggle, but it did take a little while for us to get comfortable with how things were ran. Knowing what to expect from coach (Gardner), and knowing what he expects of us will make the transition from summer vacation to the preseason a lot easier.”
Starkville Academy pushed eventual Class AAA champion Presbyterian Christian School to the brink in a 3-2 extra-time loss in the playoffs last season. That game showed Gardner and his team they were closer to a title than their record indicated.
This season, Gardner”s only concern is getting players to “commit to the cause.”
Gardner has a deep squad with versatile players, which will mean some players will have to play unfamiliar roles or positions they may not want to play.
It”s a good problem to have, Gardner said.
“If they”re committed to the cause, which they showed last year, I feel we”ll be just as good as anybody, player for player,” Gardner said. “We”re gonna shuffle around different formations; we”re not strictly going to stay in a 4-4-2, but what”s required of us.
“I don”t find that much stress or pressure from it because they”re gonna work as hard as I need them to.”
Breakout seasons from left winger Jordan Jackson, midfielder Jessica Dennis, and center back Nora Kathryn Carroll gave the team a lift. Defender Tiffany Evans will get a look in midfield this season.
However, Clark, who transferred from Starkville High in the middle of the season, figures to have the greatest impact outside of stalwarts Huddleston, Allen, and Richardson. Clark will see most of her time in the center of the park, but she also will operate in a wide area. Gardner said Clark, a former starter at Starkville High, doesn”t have to be spectacular but must be consistent.
“It was tough coming in as the new kid in the middle of year and playing 80 minutes against (Jackson) Prep,” Gardner said. “(Clark) hit her peak when we drew Jackson Academy 2-2. That was a solid performance, and I credit the result to her. She”s comfortable with the players around her now, so I expect a lot out of her.”
Starkville Academy switches to the Class AAA South Division this season, where it will play division games against Jackson Prep, PCS, Copiah Academy, and East Rankin. Prep and PCS were playoff teams last season.
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