FHS seniors take center stage at Lady’Back Field
Posted on Friday, April 4, 2008
Senior Night tonight at Lady'Back Field will occasion the last home conference match for Fayetteville seniors Karen Sosa, Elizabeth Trumbo, Lexxa Kever, Jessica Flynn and Abby Graupner.
The 5: 30 p.m. match was moved from Harmon Field to accommodate the Bulldog Relays. The senior quintet hopes tonight won't be their last match at Lady'Back Field. They want to return next month for the 7 A state finals.
Co-captain Trumbo was at Lady'Back Field two years ago when Fayetteville fell to Rogers in the finals. Then a sophomore, a knee injury prevented from her playing. Surgery to repair the torn ACL in her afflicted knee idled Trumbo for all of last season, and arthroscopic surgery on both knees was required before she could return for the 2008 campaign.
Relocating from the midfield to keeper has factored into Trumbo staying healthy. She acquitted herself well during Fayetteville's penalty-kicks victory over Rogers on Thurs- postgame cool-downs, the senior captains satisfy numerous roles.
Their initiative has been integral to Fayetteville's 3-1 start in 7 A-West Conference play ahead of its Senior Night match with Springdale.
"They've done a very good job of being leaders and role models," Lawrence said. "There's so many things that need to get done. They've stepped up not only in terms of soccer, but on bus trips and fundraisers.
"They're not just yelling at the freshmen. They're telling them what needs to be done and leading by example."
Lawrence said they've taken their cues from last year's seniors, particularly Max Glenn. Lawrence often cites the conscientious care Glenn gave to his captaining duties, hoping this year's seniors will emulate it.
"Max was a very good captain," Lawrence said. "He was a leader and a role model. I still reference a lot of what he did last year."
Collins wears the captain's armband and directs the action from his attacking center midfield position, but Ellstrand is the side's linchpin. The senior keeper has three shutouts in conference play, including a 1-0, double overtime vanquishing of Rogers.
The Mounties strafed Ellstrand with 12 shots on goal, but he repelled all of them with aplomb. He has a penchant for positioning himself between the ball and goal mouth, relying on quick reflexes that Lawrence described as more intrinsic than acquired.
"It's just his natural athletic ability," he said. "It's a very raw talent. He hasn't been trained a lot in terms of positioning and distribution. He's very athletic in terms of being able to react.
"His quick reaction time allows him to react to shots 20 yards away and make saves. He anticipates where it's going and how fast it will get there. " day, saving five shots in regulation and the two overtime periods.
She and Flynn comprise a formidable tandem in net. The two have combined to produce four clean slates in conference play. Trumbo even returned to the field last weekend at the Charger Cup in Tulsa, making a brief appearance in the midfield during Fayetteville's 3-2 win over Tulsa Metro Christian Academy.
"She played goalie when she was younger in club [soccer ]," said Samir Haj, Fayetteville coach. "It was difficult for her to come back after she was injured. It took a year and a half for her to start playing soccer again.
"I decided to put her in goal, so that way she could recover slowly. I was too scared to put her on the field, unless it was a controlled situation. She's actually a very good field player. That's why she's had success as a keeper. She reads the play well and anticipates things before they happen."
Trumbo was one of three Lady Bulldogs (12-3, 4-1 ) who entered the season with recently mended ACLs. Sophomore sweeper Sarah Correll tore hers again during the 1-0 loss at Bentonville last month, shelving her for the rest of the season.
Junior midfielder Brooke Overbey has been effective despite wearing an unwieldy brace that supports the ACL she tore in the final match of last season. It hasn't slowed her work rate, but it has curtailed her playing time. Haj said he closely monitors her and Graupner, who was limited by an ankle injury earlier this year. "[Overbey ] wants to go so bad," he said. "I have to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't overexert herself. She's a very effective, creative midfielder but sometimes she tries to take on more than she can handle physically. "Bulldog seniors take charge Fayetteville (9-6 ) coach Ryan Lawrence doesn't hesitate to delegate responsibility to his seniors. Captain Scott Collins and co-captains Kevin Ellstrand, Ian Plummer and Jose Gonzalez are practically de facto coaches. Numerous tasks fall to them. Whether it's rousting reluctant underclassmen out of bed for early morning meetings on the road, or lining up the team for
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
