PREVIEW: Genoa girls soccer

The Genoa girls soccer team lost several key players due to graduation, but they will look to build off their best season in program history.

Genoa graduated forward Adrianna Williams, who was the NBC Player of the Year, along with Second Team All-NBC goalkeeper Addi Moritz and Honorable Mention All-NBC defender Lyla Edens from a team that went 14-1-3 overall, completed an undefeated regular season, claimed a share of the program’s first-ever league title and won the sectional championship.

For 12th-year head coach Josiah Hanson, he said the credit for last year goes to the leadership of the players.

“They were a really fun group, and they’re just really good kids,” he said. “They were really good teammates. They really took care of each other on and off the field, and I think that showed during the season when we got into some tough spots. They worked really hard, and they were just always up to the task. We had great senior leadership, and we had great juniors last year that are now seniors that can lead, so we got another great group coming this year.”

This year’s group of seniors includes a trio of returning all-conference players. Izzy West and Ava Houghtaling are back as First Team All-NBC selections, while Malani Smith returns after a Second Team All-NBC campaign.

“We have a lot of goals to make up,” Hanson said. “Adrianna was a great leader, player and person, and it's hard to replace that. But we have kids that are going to go be themselves and try to play their kind of soccer and play really hard. That's what they do.”

That senior class is rounded out by Tatum Szych, Sydney Harp, Stella Rethman and Sophia Keaton.

“They’re going to be really good,” Hanson said of his seniors. “They were really good last year, and they’re going to be up to the task this year. They’re super competitive.”

In total, eight starters are back from last year.

“Our strength is in our senior leadership,” Hanson said. “They have been really successful since they came into the program as freshmen. The majority of them have been starting since they were freshmen, so it's kind of their time now, and it's their team. We're just really solid. We have soccer players that are really solid across the board.”

Sophomore Cora Edens will be the team’s new starting goalkeeper. She missed last season due to injury, but returns to take over for Moritz.

“Cora works extremely hard and is super competitive,” Hanson said. “I have no worries about her stepping in. We're not going to compare her to Addi. We're just going to let Cora be Cora.”

West and Houghtaling figure to help in the scoring department.

“(Izzy’s) got a little bit of size, and she's physical,” Hanson said. “She's kind of a freak. She's got a cannon for a leg, and she's really successful at whatever she does athletically. She's fun to watch.”

Hanson is also excited for his group of underclassmen.

“Every new year is a different challenge and a different group,” he said. “A lot of the same girls are there, but they’re leaders, and it's just a different dynamic every year. That's kind of the fun part of coaching. You get to tweak or do whatever to try to give them the best chance to win. They are always adaptive, and they're ready to do whatever we ask them. Their willingness and their attitudes carry them.”