Chemistry is key to girls soccer season success

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

After a 5-10 finish and a team that had to learn on the job, the Powhatan girls soccer team returns with experience and familiarity in the starting lineup and aspirations to build off the promising aspects of last season to get back into postseason relevance.

Head coach Jared Rottmund returns for his eighth season leading the program, and he says with seven returning starters, the team’s already developed a strong sense of team chemistry entering the new year.

Through work that began as far back as the summer with the school’s annual soccer camp, the Indians have been preparing to compete with the best the Dominion District has to offer in the hopes of rising to the top of the region standings come playoff time. Struggling to stand apart in a crowded region last season, the Indians intend to use their experience to their advantage as a team that can run up the score as well as deny opponents quality chances on net.

Captains Rachel Webb and Morgan Oliver will lead a starting lineup with experience across the board, with Webb leading the defense as the glue that holds everything together and Oliver patrolling the midfield and coming off a solid junior season as one of the team’s best creators on the ball.

Helping Webb control the backline will be senior Sarah Barnett, who brings in pre-built chemistry alongside Webb to keep the defense organized.

submissiOns

Call 804-643-4414, ext. 3

After losing goalie Hope Burton in last year’s senior class, the Indians will be relying on senior Ella Chitty in net this season. She’ll

OBITUARY SUBMISSIONS have help adjusting to the starting role thanks to a solid defense surrounding her, but how Chitty holds her own with the starting role will be a storyline to watch over the course of the season. Replacing the impacts of Burton’s fellow seniors Lena Parker, Meghan Hodge and Sydney Ar-

Call 804-643-4414, ext. 3

Email: paidnotices@timesdispatch.com

Deadline is 12 p.m. Friday for the following week’s issue.

OBITUARY SUBMISSIONS

Call 804-643-4414, ext. 3

ROBBY FLETCHER

Sports Editor

The Powhatan girls tennis team’s 2022-23 season is just about to get underway, and the Indians return with a roster of 18 girls along with its top players from last year’s depth chart.

Email: paidnotices@timesdispatch.com

Deadline is noon Friday for the following week’s issue.

Led by head coach Anne Maliff in her fourth season, the Indians will look to build off a 6-9 record and a second round finish in the postseason by returning nearly the entire starting lineup from 2022 with the exception of No. 4 Erika Roark.

Like & follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ powhatantoday

That familiarity of having five starters will do the Indians well in the early parts of their new season, but they’ll still have to get through a loaded Dominion District that features teams like Midlothian, Cosby and James River, who have developed dominant programs that stand atop the preseason standings entering the spring.

Do you have a news tip, story idea or photo to submit?

E-mail Laura McFarland at lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

News tip, story idea, community events, photos, birth announcements, 40th anniversaries & above or 80-year-old birthday & above announcement submissions can be e-mailed to Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com or call 804-363-1577

The team’s top duo featuring sophomore Emma Carter and junior Carter Quinn will lead the Indians once again as the No. 1 and 2 singles players respectively, as well as the No. 1 doubles pairing. Despite being a No. 1 as a freshman, the moment never seemed too big for Carter, who battled with the best their opponents had to offer and certainly showed she belonged with a 7-6 record.

Maliff says Carter’s record is likely to improve due to her work ethic,

Advertise in Powhatan Today Call 746-1235 for details.

CALENDAR

Email: paidnotices@timesdispatch.com nold will be tough for the Indians, but certainly doable. Arnold was one of Powhatan’s most relied on goal-scorers last season, but the hope is that players like Oliver and juniors Bella Russell and Mary Hazel Davis flourish with the increased on-ball opportunities on the attacking side.

Deadline is noon Friday for the following week’s issue.

OBITUARY SUBMISSIONS

Call 804-643-4414, ext. 3 Email: paidnotices@timesdispatch.com Deadline is noon Friday for the following week’s issue.

OBITUARY SUBMISSIONS

Powhatan opens up the season with a game on the road against Manchester in the season-opener. Some of Powhatan’s best performances came against Manchester last season, first beating them in a 7-1 beatdown on March 15 and later besting them again in a 4-1 result on April 21.

Call 804-643-4414, ext. 3