ST. MARYS – Last season St. Marys blitzed their way into the regional finals before falling to eventual champion Copley.
This season sixth year head coach Nick Wilson’s (69-24-6) crew is primed for another potential long playoff journey as they are led by seven returning starters from a 19-3-1 2022 campaign.
Previewing his squad and their ceiling, Wilson remarked “We have had some nice tournament runs in the
last few years but this season we feel that we have the potential to take the elusive step to playing in Columbus in November”.
Leading the way for the Roughriders is 1st team All-Ohio striker Aerial Fast, a senior who led the offense with 32 goals and 18 assists in a year that earned her District Player of the Year honors. Fast will head to Wright State University to continue her soccer career once her blue and gold era comes to an end.
Between the posts for St. Marys will be two-year returning starter Ella Jacobs, a senior captain who stopped 105 shots and surrendered 15 goals while posting 13 shutouts that included a trio in postseason play. Jacobs, a recent Heidelberg commit earned 1st team All-WBL and Northwest District last season and has turned away 241 opponent attempts.
Joining Fast and Jacobs are returning starters Jordyn Glass (Senior D/M), Reese Rable (Junior M), Jillian Tomberlin (Junior D), Lauren Jacobs (Sophomore D), and Sophia Menker (Sophomore M) who combined for 10 goals and 16 assists last season.
Senior captain Reagan Allemeier (D) scored a goal and accounted for five assists as a notable returner alongside classmate Liz Schloemer (M), and juniors Emma Freewalt (F), and Kelly Holsinger (F).
Asked to point to newcomers who could contribute significant minutes Wilson singled out freshman utility Kendal Davis and classmate Claire Turner who will work from the forward position.
Last season the Riders fell just once in WBL play, 2-0 in September to league champion Ottawa Glandorf. This season Wilson has reigning supreme at the top of his list saying “This is always a challenge based on the competitiveness of the league”.
“Our focus then shifts to making a deep tournament run which is also a massive challenge since our district is comprised of WBL teams plus the always-tough challenges of Liberty-Benton and Bryan” finished Wilson on his teams postseason chances.
St. Marys opens their 2023 campaign on Tuesday, August 15th when they venture north to Bryan for a 5:30pm varsity only tilt.
Sunday, October 1st will mark a momentous day for the program as well as they will take over Lower.Com Field in Columbus for a 1:30pm matchup with Canfield.