Three teams to watch
Girls Preparatory School: The Bruisers had a coaching change before the 2014 season and brought home the state title. The title defense starts Friday.Walker Valley: The Lady Mustangs will have plenty of firepower and will look to have a strong season fueled by talented youth.East Hamilton: The Lady Hurricanes suffered a tough sectional loss last fall and have plenty of motivation to rebound.Three players to watchChloe Maize: The talented Baylor senior has played club soccer for the past three years and will be among the area’s best players.Nicole Ford: Ford is a strong piece for East Hamilton but has battled injuries. A healthy season could coincide with a deep run for the Lady Hurricanes.Jessi Young: McMinn Central’s Young was a prolific goal scorer as a sophomore and made the switch to defense last year. As a senior she will be be an exciting player whether she is scoring goals or helping to prevent them.
Last season, a young Boyd-Buchanan girls' soccer team shed the underdog label in style, winning the first district title in program history. Now the Lady Buccaneers look to build on their success behind a strong veteran presence.
"Last year was such a surprise since they were such a young team," said Lady Bucs coach Todd Ledbetter. "We had always been competitive in the district but never got over that hurdle of success and excellence, and I think last year proved to the girls that they can be successful."
Although the team will have a familiar look this season, the feel will be much different with nine upperclassmen - eight juniors - in the starting lineup as opposed to last year's one.
Leading the way will be Emma Rogers, Lindsey Hunkapiller and Jennifer Gray, the team captains voted by their peers. Gray is the team's lone starting senior.
"It's been fun," Rogers, last year's district MVP and an all-region selection, said of the transition. "When we were freshmen, our seniors were great and really showed us how to treat underclassmen."
Hunkapiller, a defensive anchor and first team all-district and all-region, said she is encouraged by the underclassmen looking up to her in a leadership role and hopes to encourage them in return.
Boyd-Buchanan's captains will have to not only adjust to their roles but manage expectations with the most successful season in program history behind them.
"It's a good kind of pressure to really push us to be better than last year," Gray said. "We weren't looked at highly, but we proved ourselves, and now we want to grow from that and show we still belong up there."
Said Hunkapiller: "You definitely have to stay humble."
Ledbetter continues to push his team to keep developing and maturing.
The team started weight training for the first time in January and has been preparing for the season together since June.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the development and continual improvement of this team," Ledbetter said. "I'm also excited to see their knowledge of the game grow, because that's what separates a state champion from a district champion. It's who understands the game and can play it out. So I want to challenge them tactically and thinking in the big picture.
"My confidence in them is so high. I know they can do this."
Boyd-Buchanan opens the season Tuesday night against a tough, higher-classification opponent, Walker Valley.
Contact Idris Garcia at sports@timesfreepress.com
Baylor's Peyton Thomas, No. 13, and GPS's Izzy Phillips, No. 9, collide as they compete for the ball in this file photo.