Highland girls soccer team makes positive strides this spring, looking forward to 2024
After winning just three games in 2022, the Highland girls soccer team sought and made positive strides on the pitch during the 2023 campaign.
Highland finished the season with a productive 6-12-1 slate and, while the final ledger wasn’t of the dazzling variety, it still represents a big step forward for a young and hardworking Bulldogs club.
“I think it’s a team mindset,” Highland coach Daniel Podjwoski said. “We came into the season really focused on wanting to improve and build each other up and just maintain a sense of positivity. And this was during games and practices ... we were always wanting to analyze what we were doing and we wanted to improve and that’s what we did.”
The Bulldogs dropped their first two games of the season but responded with three wins in their next five games to get some early traction.
Podwojski credited the early bounce back to more determination and confidence by the team.
“Confidence — it was about just knowing that they can win games and go take what we were practicing and the skills we worked on and applying it in games, so the realization that they can win games is really one of the factors that helped out,” Podwojski said.
HHS then hit a rough patch from April 15-27, losing five games including setbacks to Mississippi Valley Conference foes Waterloo, Triad, Civic Memorial, and Mascoutah.
“We just kind of hit the struggle bus there for a little bit” Podwojski said. “Even though we had a five game losing streak, we were able to take those games and look at how we could improve, so just the entire season was about looking at how we could improve and get better and better and better.”
HHS finished he regular season on a solid note thanks to a win over Mount Vernon (7-0) on April 29, and a Senior Night win May 2 over Jerseyville (3-2) before losing the season finale at Waterloo on May 4.
“We were excited (at that point) for regionals and we were definitely optimistic about the game there. Each time we played Mascoutah we had improved and improved and we were looking forward to playing them in that regional game,” Podwojski said.
A late second half goal from Mascoutah’s Brooke Riley spoiled the Bulldogs hopes for a regional semifinal win as the Indians prevailed in the IHSA Class 3A postseason at Triad on May 16.
“I’m very happy with the way our girls played even though we did lose that game,” Podwojski said. “Mascoutah came out on top and they had a great goal there, but I can’t be more proud of our girls. It’s definitely a good place to start from going into next season.”
A look ahead to next spring
HHS will head into 2024 with virtually their entire roster back including top goal scorers Alyson Pace (10 goals, 11 assists), Peyton Frey (eight goals, eight assists), Peyton Beard (seven goals, six assists), and Maddie Molitor (six goals, three assists) and standout goalie Sophia Fleming (3.49 GAA) — along with a solid defense.
“Those were our main goals scorers along with some others in the mix as well, but Sophia Fleming is just amazing and the way our defense gelled together, I really like that,” Podwojski said. “We lost only one senior (Allie Rinderer) so I expect everyone else to come back and take those skills that we worked on and apply them into our offseason open practices and help encourage those coming up.
“We have maybe four or five girls coming into the freshman class, so we’re still in that building process, but it’s very exciting with lots of room to grow.”