The Newsome Lady Wolves soccer team was hungry for success this season, winning their second district championship in a row as well as a Western Conference Championship, beating state semi-finalist Plant on penalty kicks. The Lady Wolves finished 16-3-1 overall, losing 2-0 to Palm Harbor University High School in the regional quarterfinals.
“The sisterhood we created is definitely something that made this team successful,” said senior captain Sydni Dennis. “We had a motto at the beginning of the year and that was, ‘We will work hard, persevere, stay united and uphold the Lady Wolves’ tradition.’”
Second-year Head Coach Tina Trimborn said that depth played a key role in the team’s success this year with a revolving door of lineup combinations due to injuries and players having to quarantine at different points during the season because of COVID-19. All 25 players on the roster got to play, and 20 recorded goals, giving the lineup great balance. The group was primarily led by 10 seniors.
“Whatever was put in front of us, we were very disciplined, gritty and tough, not letting any of the outside stuff affect us,” said Trimborn. “We stayed positive, and if someone was out, we knew that someone else would take their place. It taught us how to be resilient.”
The Lady Wolves have several players that will move on to the next level and play in college, including Sierra Hudson (Eckerd College), Sydni Dennis (University of Tampa) and Avery Jericho (Davidson College).
“It wasn’t just a one-man show,” said Trimborn. “You couldn’t look at our stats and just identify one player to stop. We had threats, power and talent all over the pitch.”
The Lady Wolves will lose 10 seniors, but the team expects to remain competitive next season with 15 returning players that will hone their skills with their club teams in the off-season.
“The girls’ goals would be to become state champions,” said Trimborn. “For me, it’s developing a group of united athletes that believe in each other and fight for each other and take whatever skills they learn in sports and can apply them later on in life.”
This was a final season to remember for senior captain and team leader Saylor Webster.
“From this season I will take away so many new sisters, so many memories and so much pride to have been a part of such an amazing team,” said Webster. “This team is full of some of the most talented and brilliant girls I have ever met. It makes me proud being able to know every single one of them.”
