With nine returning starters and 13 other returning letter winners, Independence has the potential to compete for the Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division championship and more.
The Blue Devils finished last season with an 8-8-1 record overall and a 3-3-1 mark in league play.
“This team returns a lot of players, and we brought in some solid freshmen so I think we can compete for the conference crown,” said 18th-year head coach Bryan Less. “To make that happen, we must stay healthy and learn to play as a team quickly.”
Independence graduated just two seniors from last season and replaced them with promising freshmen.
“We only lost two seniors, both of whom were nice role players,” Less said. “Some incoming freshmen just need to learn to play the game at the high school level. This includes using that weaker foot more often and learning to play more quickly.”
The Blue Devils return five players who earned All-CVC honors and another who was named All-Greater Cleveland.
Senior midfielder Alana Nowak was a first-team All-CVC and All-Greater Cleveland selection after scoring 12 goals with seven assists last fall.
“Alana started off the year playing at an all-state level, but got a little fatigued down the stretch,” Less said. “She really carried the team offensively until Makenna Rini got going. If she can maintain that high level of play, Alana can pick up some major awards this season. She can dribble, shoot, pass, and is always in the right spot.”
Rini, a senior forward, was an honorable mention All-CVC and All-Greater Cleveland selection. She scored 12 goals with two assists.
“Makenna showed vast improvement last season,” Less said. “She scored more goals in the final eight games last year than in her previous 40 games combined. She is fast, physical, and can play with both feet. I am very excited to see what she does this year.”
Senior defender Casey Adams, a second-team All-CVC and All-Greater Cleveland selection, provides the Blue Devils with speed and athleticism on the back line. She scored four goals as a junior.
“Casey’s work ethic has increased more over her career than any player I have coached,” Less said. “She really works hard to be good. She is strong, fast, and fearless. At times last season, I moved her into the forward spot to give us a spark, and it usually worked. She wants her teammates to be good too and is willing to tell them so.”
Joining Adams on the back line is sophomore Allie Borher, who was an honorable mention All-CVC selection. She scored three goals with three assists last fall.
“Allie started off the year as a center defender, but I moved her to forward to help the offense get more push,” Less said. “I see her as a future defensive anchor when Casey graduates. She is a very smart player who uses positioning as much as her own ability to play good defense.”
In the net, senior Keely Sears returns after recording 139 saves and five shutouts last fall. She earned second-team All-CVC and honorable mention All-Greater Cleveland honors.
“Keely did not play soccer until high school and has turned into a very good goalie,” Less said. “She is fearless, can make one-on-one saves, and has excellent instincts. She also has a chance to get some assists on her punts this year with our speed at forward. Her goal-keeping skills kept us in games against superior opponents last year, and I see that coming again this season.”
Sophomore forward MaryAnne LeRoy was an honorable mention All-Greater Cleveland selection last season. She finished the year with one assist.
“MaryAnne had a very good freshman year, playing mostly at outside midfield,” Less said. “She is very aggressive and plays with an edge. Her shot has picked up a lot of power and she seems much more confident at being in the right spot now.”
Senior Eliza Botzman and freshman Katie Ksiazka will play forward.
Botzman recorded one assist as a junior.
“Eliza was sick for a lot of the season last year, so didn’t get a chance to shine. She has very good technique and knows where to be on the field. If she decides to start playing physically, she can become a very solid player,” Less said. “Katie will probably be our top freshman, and she has already shown that she has a strong leg. She is fast and can play with the ball at her feet. She has to learn how to play off the ball, and when this happens, she will be a dynamic scorer.”
Freshman Ellie Coddington and sophomore Kayla Hujarski will play in the midfield.
“Ellie is coming along nicely so far. She does everything I ask of her in practice and already has improved tremendously with her weak foot. She will be an important player for us by the end of the season,” Less said. “Kayla improved a lot from start to end last season. Halfway through the year, she began playing about 50 minutes a game at the defensive center mid spot. She has excellent body control and makes good decisions with the ball.”
Seniors Bryanna LeRoy and Mandy Kaufman and freshman Katelyn Deblock will play on defense.
“Bryanna’s technique and skill have improved tremendously over her career. Early on, her hard work carried her, but now Bryanna has a very nice game. She makes good decisions with the ball and knows where to be on the field,” Less said. “Mandy is a great team player, but unfortunately, she is hurt right now. Hopefully, she will heal up soon, because she has turned into a very nice outside defender. Katelyn is fast, physical, and athletic like some of my great defenders in the past. She still has to improve a lot in her soccer skills, but if she works hard, Katelyn will be a major asset on this team.”
After seeing the work ethic and growth in his squad during the offseason, Less is confident he has the pieces in place to make a run at the conference title.
“Our offseason commitment was pretty good this year,” he said. “I had a lot of seniors and freshmen with a sample of sophomores showing up throughout the summer. I think this is already paying dividends, as our speed is pretty good. The freshmen have already shown major improvement in their weak foot abilities.”
The key to making that run is simple.
“First, we must stay healthy,” Less said. “We do not have a limitless bench, so our high-quality players must stay on the field. Some of them are also involved in other activities, so fatigue may also be a factor. Getting the younger players to learn the system and become more aggressive is also a must.”
