All-Area pick and Prep’s leading scorer Brooke Elby is a question mark after deciding to play in a college showcase, according to Chavez, while first-team All-Prep League sophomore Connell Studenmund is one of three Rebels with serious knee injuries.
Chavez is hoping to have Studenmund and freshman goalie Casey Cousineau back by January. Stephanie Bathke, a sophomore who did well in goal last year for Prep but was moved to forward, will hopefully fill in for Cousineau, but she is recovering from a less severe knee injury.
With returning all-leaguers Kate Lyon, a sophomore midfielder, and Alina Okamoto, a junior forward/midfielder, in the mix, along with senior defender Caitlyn French, Chavez’s hopes are that his team can survive and put itself in position to duplicate last year’s showing, in which it took third in the Prep League and went to the Division III playoffs.
“Not only are we young, but our top players are injured, I don’t want to make any excuses, but just be patient,” said Chavez, whose team has seven freshmen and seven sophomores. “What we want to do is hopefully … just prepare for league and make the playoffs just like last year.”
Last year, Holy Family failed to make the playoffs after having made it the previous two — for the first time in program history. That’s certainly something the Gaels are striving to change this time around.
“That is definitely our goal this year,” said Gaels Coach Marco Calderon. “I think our biggest advantage this year is the return of Melissa Franco.”
Franco, a senior midfielder, has Calderon excited, but he also lost Krista Parina, a starter still at the school who elected not to play.
With reigning Division VII champion Alverno in the Horizon League, Calderon concedes that a league title run is likely not in the cards, but believes a first-ever win against Bishop Conaty-Loretto could be in the cards.
“That’s our first benchmark,” said Calderon, who’s also excited about sophomore goalie Tara Sims, freshmen twins Valerie and Breeana Russo and sophomore captain Andrea Velasquez.
Glendale, under Coach Dino Barbiera, still finds itself in rebuilding mode, but Barbiera is confident the team is headed in the right direction, as he seems as excited about the 2010-11 season, as he is for this season.
