Lady Jays looking for goal-scorers this season in soccer

Kenzie Gourley of Jefferson City closes in on the ball during a game against Rock Bridge last season at the 179 Soccer Park.
Kenzie Gourley of Jefferson City closes in on the ball during a game against Rock Bridge last season at the 179 Soccer Park.

Last week's Jamboree didn't answer the biggest question the Jefferson City Lady Jays have entering the soccer season.

"I don't know where the goals are going to come from," Jefferson City coach Tom Guinn said as the Lady Jays prepare for today's season-opener against the School of the Osage Lady Indians at the 179 Soccer Park.

In the three 25-minute Jamboree sessions, totaling just five minutes less than a regulation game, Jefferson City managed to score just one goal.

But Guinn stressed it's mid-March, there's plenty of time to find a scoring touch this season.

"We sure didn't put any holes in the net the other night, but there are players on this team that are capable of scoring," he said. "It's just a matter of them doing it during games.

"It's way too early in the season to be negative about it because I'm sure the offense will come around."

The Lady Jays were without senior Mackenzie Lochhead in the Jamboree, second on the team in scoring last season.

"We're going to put a lot on her shoulders, the expectation is she will be able to score a lot of goals for us," Guinn said. "She's the type of player who has the ability to score, when she gets her chance, she usually can do something with it."

On the other side of the field, Jefferson City did not a allow a goal in the Jamboree. Guinn thinks the Lady Jays can use that stifling defense to spark their offense.

"We're a speedy team and one of the things we can be good at, one of the things that will make us a dangerous team, is that we should be good in the counter attack," he said. "We just have to teach them how to finish. They are getting chances to score, they are just not putting those chances away."

Megan Duffield, a sophomore, will start in goal for Jefferson City.

"She worked hard in the offseason and she's shown a lot of growth in playing that position," Guinn said. "We're so proud of her because she has stepped up to play that position."

Other starters in the back will include seniors Alaina Allsbury and Kirsten Schwandtner, along with sophomores Greta Haarmann and Halle Bohlken.

Karina Esquivel, a senior, will start at one center-midfield spot. The other has yet to be determined.

Staring as outside-midfielders are junior Kenzie Gourley and sophomore Morgan Jordan.

The other starting forward spot to go along with Lochhead is up for grabs, Guinn said.

Gourley, Jordan, Allsbury and Haarmann, along with senior Sarah Hirst, are coming to the soccer team from Jefferson City's trip to the Class 5 quarterfinals in basketball that concluded a little more than a week ago.

"Understandably, they probably haven't touched a soccer ball at least four months, if not longer," Guinn said. "So they are just a few days into soccer and are rusty, which is what you expect."

"But in time, we know we're going to see a lot of improvement from them."

A pair of freshman - Kaitlyn Schwandtner and Taylor Cook - figure to see playing time this season on the varsity. 

Cook scored Jefferson City's lone goal in the Jamboree on a header off a corner kick.

"Kids that show the ability to score are hard to keep off the field," Guinn said.

Jefferson City, which had its scheduled opener last Saturday at Ursuline Academy cancelled, will be home against this weekend hosting Washington and Republic in a shootout.

Action will begin today with the JV game at 5 p.m., with the varsity to follow around 6:45 p.m.