The Lady Jaguars are locked and loaded for the winter soccer campaign, hopeful that a tough preseason schedule and treacherous North Bay League season will produce one of the best years in the program’s history.
Under the guidance of veteran coach Mark Archambault, Windsor is coming off an historic 2016 campaign that included a first-ever trip to the North Coast Section Division 1 championship game before finishing the season at 13-10-2.
Windsor returns a strong nucleus of 15 players from that squad, including several that are among the best in the Redwood Empire.
Returning stars include four-year all-league seniors; forward Katie Bianchi (second in NBL in goals scored) and striker Madi Baer (NBL assist leader), midfielder Gillian Day and goalie Briana Davis.
“These players have been with me since they were freshmen,” Archambault noted. “I will look to them to be the team leaders this season.”
Also returning to the varsity squad are seniors; forward Olivia Seivers, junior midfielder Madison Monroe, junior mid/defenders Kelly Berndt and Audrey Devenuto, junior forward/mid Mackenzie Hernandez, junior midfielder Samantha Moberly, junior forward/mid Alyna Gonzales, junior forward/defender Daniela Chavez, sophomore midfielder Taylor Brogden, sophomore midfielder Amber Balogh and junior midfielder Megan Williman.
The list of promising newcomers includes senior Sophie Vega and talented freshmen Isabella Chavez, Carmi Dotario, Emily Moberly, Kaitlyn Erickson and Kira Anderson.
The mix of veteran leadership and young talent should be a formula for success against the top teams in the area, stamping Windsor as a dark horse to unseat league favorites Montgomery and Maria Carrillo.
“This year’s team has the most raw talent I’ve had since coaching at Windsor High School,” Archambault said. “The experience of the returning players coupled with the talented newcomers should make for a very good year for Lady Jags Soccer.”
As with any team in the early going, Windsor will be looking to field the right combination of players to produce the best product on the field.
“The challenge will be to get them to play as a team, as last year’s team did,” Archambault noted. “We expect to be very competitive this year both in league and pre/post season play.”
As for what effect the move to a winter season will have, only time will tell. “The move to winter means that making the postseason will be more difficult, with more teams competing for 16 postseason slots,” Archambault predicted. “We’re playing a tough preseason schedule against teams from the East Bay and Marin to strengthen our position for post-season selection.”
The Jaguars will open the 2017-18 schedule on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at Tamalpais (3:15 p.m.), followed by a Thursday, Nov. 30 home tilt with visiting Novato (6 p.m.). The Jaguars will kick off the NBL season on Dec. 15 against visiting Casa Grande.
