Baylor's McKenzie Thomas listens to a call by an official during a recent scrimmage.Baylor soccer teammates Teni Butler, Paige Elliott, Chloe Brackett and twins McKenzie and Peyton Thomas knew their alliance eventually would end.
Not just their final days of high school -- which are quite a ways away -- but their long togetherness in the FC Alliance Club program.
Their main goal as Lady Red Raiders remains to be undefeated state champions. Baylor ended a six-year drought by claiming the TSSAA Division II-AA title last season after falling in the state final in 2009, but the road to an undefeated season will be considerably harder in 2011.
Baylor will head to Indianapolis this weekend for the prestigious Zionsville Invitational Tournament, which includes some of the nation's top programs. The Lady Red Raiders (4-0) will face Strongsville out of Ohio, the No. 1 team nationally according to the latest ESPN Rise poll.
Baylor is No. 27, and coach Jimmy Weekley knows this weekend will provide his team a real test.
"We're excited to play at this level, especially in a different state," he said. "No matter who we play, we plan to put our best foot forward."
Weekley noted that Tennessee schools St. Agnes and Collierville will also be in attendance, although they and Baylor won't face each other.
"We're getting the opportunity to play some new teams," said Butler, a senior defender. "It's how we're going to be able to measure how good we are, so it's a good opportunity for us to go up against some teams we haven't heard of before."
Strongsville's roster includes Emily Ogle, a youth national team member, as well as three players who have committed to NCAA Division I programs.
Baylor has five Division I commitments, and Butler likely will become a sixth.
Forward McKenzie Thomas, who had 19 goals and six assists as a sophomore but tore her ACL early last season, and her midfielder sister, who scored eight goals in each of her past two seasons, will play at Samford.
Brackett, who had six goals and seven assists last year, has committed to Pittsburgh. Elliott, a defender who was the most valuable player of the 2010 state championship game, will play for Lehigh University.
Kelly Pannell, who led the Lady Raiders with 11 goals last season despite coming off the bench at times, is bound for Western Carolina.
Weekley said the biggest job for him and assistants Curtis Blair and Lara Sibold is trying to fit each player's abilities to the best team combination.
"The girls have bought into the system," he said. "We've tried to craft a style that's attractive to the players and a style that's fun to play and watch.
"Their talents have allowed us to play the style we're playing now."
Brackett said the team's talent level is "ridiculous.
"We always have each other's backs," she said. "We know where other girls are going to be, and at times we've taken that for granted when one of us hasn't been there."
The Lady Raiders' biggest challenge will not be how they play in the Zionsville Invitational but how they perform the rest of the season and their ability to defend their state title.
"I think we're up to the challenge," Brackett said. "We always want to play our best, and give it our best shot.
"We want to not only keep our reputation as one of the best teams in the state, but make ourselves known nationally."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6311. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/gh3sports.