CALEDONIA — A team’s strength up the middle often dictates its success.
While that adage most often is heard in baseball or softball, Jason Forrester can attest it also applies to soccer.
The Caledonia High School girls soccer coach has watched the past few years as Brooke Lester, Lydia Cross, and Sarah Jo Murphy have anchored key offensive and defensive roles. Things haven’t changed this season, as seniors Lester (offensive midfielder), Cross (defensive midfielder), and Murphy (defender) continue to play important minutes in the midfield and on defense for the Lady Confederates.
The three players hope things won’t change next season, either.
On Wednesday, Lester, Cross, and Murphy took the next step toward putting that plan into action when they signed to play soccer at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia.
Forrester said it is unusual for three players to sign with one school, but he said Northwest Mississippi C.C. coach Levi Nunnally came to his team’s match against Columbus earlier this season and was impressed with Lester, Cross, and Murphy. Forrester even said Nunnally commented to him that it is rare to find three players in three key positions, so he jumped at the chance to offer the players a chance to play for him.
Forrester feels all three will be able to make the transition to the next level because they complement each other so well. All three players have been with the soccer program since seventh grade.
“They all have their unique abilities and they play well together,” Forrester said. “What is so interesting about it is they all play in the middle of the field. … What you typically want is your better players in the middle of the field, and that is just the way it worked out.
“They pretty much have done that (played the same positions). The great thing about it is they complement each other because of the way they play. Their styles fit each other, and I think that is going to carry them on and help them be successful.”
Lester doesn’t know how it happened that all three decided to pick Northwest Mississippi College. She said Cross and Murphy visited the school together, while she took the trip with her parents. It worked out that all three liked the school, so it was easy for them to pick the same school. Lester hopes they can continue to complement each other in college.
“Sarah Jo is very good at playing in the back, and Lydia is very good at sweeping right behind between me and Sarah Jo,” Lester said. “I am very good at controlling the top and helping to control the middle, so we all help each other out.”
Cross said she, Lester, and Murphy have played together in Caledonia recreational leagues since second or third grade. She said that familiarity has helped each player anticipate movements and tendencies of the others, which breeds compatibility.
“We all play different positions, but we all play in the middle,” Cross said. “It is like Brooke, then me, then Sarah.
“It was kind of surprising (they all decided to go to Northwest Mississippi C.C.). At first, I thought I was going to be the only one, but then they decided we were all going to go together. It is nice I am going to have some of my best friends up there with me.”
Lester, Cross, and Murphy will have a chance to join Taylor Renth, their former teammate at Caledonia High next season. Renth had three goals and an assist as a freshman at Northwest Mississippi C.C.
Murphy feels all three players will be able to build on a chemistry that has become second nature so they can develop into stronger players in college.
“We all back each other up,” Murphy said. “Me and Lydia play in the middle, so I am always there for her. If I miss the ball, she will come back and help me. I can just pass the ball out to Brooke and she will come back and get it.”
Coming off a shootout loss to Pontotoc on Tuesday, Forrester will look to the senior leaders to help the Lady Confederates return to the playoffs. Caledonia will take on Itawamba Agricultural High on Friday.
“Brooke is very calm. She plays an aggressive style when she has to, but, for the most part, she is real calm with the ball and is a good distributor,” Forrester said. “She has stepped up a little more scoring goals this year than she has done before because the opportunities have been there, but I would say she is the calming influence of the three.
“I guess you would call Lydia is the enforcer. She is very aggressive, but she is very aggressive the correct way. She plays to the ball. … She is a great kid, but when she gets on the field she turns that switch and she plays very hard.
“Sarah Jo is probably the fastest one of the group. She is the one we rely on right before it gets to the keeper because she is so quick from side to side.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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