In only his second year at the helm of the Vance Charter Knights Women’s Soccer team, Coach Johnny Yount has his team in the playoffs. While he’s happy they are in the playoffs, he is aware that work is still to be done to get the team where he wants them to be. “We need to be passing better, and we have had low energy,” Yount said of his team. The Knight’s regular season record is 6-8-3 overall and 4-5-1 in the conference. That puts them at 12th in Division 1 A East. “That’s not exactly where we want to be,” Yount said of their current position.
Throughout the season the team has relied on seniors Riley Fuller and Makenzie Montgomery. Fuller, who is playing on a bad knee, will likely have to have surgery at some point. In addition to the senior leadership, the Knights have also had solid play from freshmen Katherine Suther and Sarah Ranes. That solid play contributed to 0-0 game against the powerful North Carolina School of Science and Math. That game is one that Young points to as a highlight of the season.
One of Yount’s big keys is sportsmanship. Win, lose or draw, Yount wants his players to be able to hold their heads high. That sportsmanship will likely help these students with the lessons they learn in life long after they leave the playing field.
At this point, it might feel like they have left the playing field since they haven’t played a game in three weeks. Due to the playoff schedule changing, it has meant that the Knights have only been able to practice. With spring break, prom and the end of the school year approaching, Yount says it’s a challenge to keep kids focused. The team has been practicing three days a week and considered attempting to schedule some additional games during the layoff but a fear of risking injury in a meaningless game just prior to the playoffs made the decision not to play easier.
The break from the field will only last a couple more days. “We hope to have a home game on Monday,” Yount said on today’s SportsTalk with George Hoyle and John C. Rose. The Knights have yet to find out who the opposition will be but should know very soon.
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