Lehi Sports
Pioneer girls soccer team eager to get started
Beky Beaton / Lehi Free Press
The Lehi High School girls soccer team will open their season on Tuesday (Aug. 4) at Bountiful to get the fall campaign underway. Kickoff time is 7:15 p.m.
“I am very excited about the talent we possess this year, and I expect us to be a serious contender,” said third-year Coach Jonas Hartmann. “We have excellent quality up and down the roster and each player brings something significant to the team.”
There are several returning starters who figure to be key in the Pioneer scheme this year. Junior Aly Badger is expected to be the team lynchpin in the middle and is an offensive threat as well, providing two goals and three assists last fall. She’s also an excellent first-level defender.
Senior Ashley Gardner on the left and junior Tessa Richards on the right will support the attack from the wings. Gardner played in the back last year but still provided three assists and Richards scored three times with two gives. They are both versatile enough to switch sides and field levels as well.
Also returning for another round is spectacular striker Lillie Watson. Now a junior, she finished second in goals in Region 3 and 10th in points in Class 6A with 15 goals and four assists last fall, leading her team in all three measures as a sophomore.
“I am expecting Region 3 to be really tough again this year, as it is every year,” Hartmann said. “It’s a small region now so every game is key and adjustments to our preseason have been required seeing that we play more preseason games than actual region games.
“There are no easy games, and I would expect most matches in the region to be decided by one or two goals,” the coach said.
“I see a more level playing field in the region this year too, where some of the old favorites will still pose a huge challenge but I could see the top of the region being very close and come down to the last game,” he said.
“Looking ahead to State, we are certainly a school that wants to be taken seriously, and I am confident that we have the team to make a real push, but I am fully aware and recognize that other schools will be tough challenges and have similar goals,” Hartmann continued.
“I would expect Syracuse, Davis, Lone Peak and others to make a run too and once we hit the playoffs there are no teams that can be taken lightly,” he said.
“There is so much talent in the state that we know we must respect every team we play and know we will have to be on our toes in every game to compete and we will,” the coach concluded.
Lehi will host Riverton for their home opener on Thursday (Aug. 6) at 3:30 p.m., then will welcome Orem for a morning contest the next day at 11 a.m.
Seven other non-league contests are scheduled. The Pioneers will start the Region 3 season against Skyridge at home on Sept. 1 at 3:30 p.m.
