GAYLORD ― Right now, the Gaylord girls soccer team isn’t focused on games they’ve played in the past or accolades possibly coming in the future. The Blue Devils have spent the first month of the season taking each game one at a time, executing their game plan and playing to the best of their abilities.
That mindset is what has helped Gaylord (9-1, 6-0 Big North) win 9 of their first 10 games, have an unbeaten league record halfway through the year and, most recently, pushed them to a 3-1 rivalry win over Petoskey (5-2, 5-2 BNC), taking a firm hold over first place in the Big North Conference.
“We have the utmost respect for Petoskey. They’re a great team and they’re a great program,” said coach Chris Adams. “We pay them the same respect as any other team we face, and the girls did really well today coming together as a team.”
Here are the key takeaways from another key win for GHS:
Gaylord uses team effort to counter early PHS push
Gaylord has already shown they can win multiple ways; their goal scorers can overwhelm opposing defenses, as they did in three consecutive 8-0 wins over Sault Ste Marie, Houghton and Alpena, or they can lean on their veteran defenders and goalkeeper, as they did in a 1-0 win over Traverse City West.
Like most rivalry games, this win took an all-around, full team effort.
Petoskey dominated possession early on, putting Gaylord on their heels in the opening minutes. Many of the GHS and PHS girls play together in the summer, and some of that familiarity made things difficult for Gaylord early on. However, once they settled into the game, the Blue Devils’ confidence began to show.
“We could tell they really knew our strengths and weaknesses,” said senior Molly Hicks. “We have been teammates with a lot of them and they came out passing strong.”
“Petoskey came out of the gates flying. We knew that was coming, and that’s very much their M.O.,” said Adams. “As that faded away, the girls were able to move the ball with quality, got around that and were able to create opportunities.”
Variety of goal scorers keeping opponents on their toes
There is no one star for this GHS team, and they pride themselves on that.
Many different goal scorers have contributed to their 51-6 goal differential through 10 games, a stretch littered with hat tricks and multi-goal games. On Thursday, three different players scored for GHS, showing just how versatile their attack can be.
Junior Ella Cherwinski scored first, taking a pass off a Josie Bensinger free kick to net a 1-0 early advantage. Minutes later, sophomore Khloe Van Oosten rifled a shot past the Petoskey keeper from 25 yards out to give Gaylord a two-goal lead before senior Callie English netted the third first-half goal.
Perhaps the biggest difference between this GHS team and last year’s has been their ability to finish when given opportunities around the net, something coach Adams chalks up to confidence and a care-free mindset.
“We’ve spoken a lot with the team about ‘I want you to play like you’re a child at a field, playing ball with your friends’,” said Adams. “Because at the end of the day, that’s what we’re doing. They’ve really embraced having fun and enjoying it, and that pressure and that enjoyment is what’s giving us all our opportunities.”
Halfway through the season, Gaylord is the team to beat in BNC
A loss to the Northmen would’ve put the Blue Devils in a three-way tie atop the BNC standings. Now, with one game in the books against every league team, GHS is the lone unbeaten squad and in sole possession of first place heading into May,
It’s a new role for GHS, playing with a target on their backs rather than trying to make a climb back into the hunt.
However, it’s a role they’re trying to embrace.
“What makes a good team is when they bring the energy, no matter who they are playing,” said Hicks. “This is the difficult part of the season where we have to carry those wins over and beat everyone a second time.”
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: Gaylord girls soccer’s confidence growing after win over Petoskey
Reporting by Dylan Jespersen, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
