GAYLORD ― Mostly everything went Gaylord soccer’s way on April 24.
The Blue Devils, matched up with the final other unbeaten team in the Big North Conference, Traverse City West, and picked up a critical 1-0 victory to take sole possession of first place in the league standings. It was the fourth consecutive shutout victory for goalkeeper Madi Augustine and win No. 5 of what would become a nine-game winning streak, a streak that would only be interrupted by a draw vs. Harbor Springs on May 5.
A lot of positives came out of that game, but there was one glaring negative that was carted off the field.
Senior leader Emma Horsell-Sehl’s season and perhaps her high school soccer career seemed in jeopardy after that night, following a non-contact injury that forced her to be carted off the field.
“It was scary,” said Horsell-Sehl. “I knew I was struggling with an injury before the season, so it was definitely scary.”
Emma H, as head coach Chris Adams affectionately calls her, has been a fixture in the GHS girls soccer lineup since her freshman season, so an extended absence was not something GHS and Adams were looking forward to. Fortunately for the Blue Devils, Emma H is back on the back line after missing four games, ready to contribute to a team that hasn’t lost in over a month and is heading into the back half of the regular season as the BNC frontrunners.
“The team as a whole, I think we’re super close, and we’re very determined to do well and see the best future for Gaylord soccer,” said Horsell-Sehl.
Much of what Horsell-Sehl does won’t show up in the box score, but her presence as a leader and an experienced player along the defensive last line is what makes her an irreplaceable part of the GHS lineup.
“She’s a beast,” said Adams. “She’s a leader, she’s great in possession, she controls the way we kind of organize ourselves. She’s a really good leader for our team and someone we’re grateful to have.”
Adams credited players like Grace Bennett and Lily Willbee for stepping in during Horsell-Sehl’s absence, earning playing time of their own through great play when their opportunities arose. That depth has played a major factor in GHS’s strong first half of the season, now 11-1-1 after a 5-1 win over Kingsford on May 9. They head into May as the frontrunners in the BNC and eying a second district title in three seasons.
Now, with EHS back, she’s not taking a moment for granted as GHS chases its ultimate goals.
“Going down allowed me to take in everything, realize how grateful I am to be a senior and how to appreciate every single moment on the field I have left,” said Horsell-Sehl.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Emma Horsell-Sehl back from injury, helping Gaylord soccer
Reporting by Dylan Jespersen, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
