The Fairfield High School Lady Lions soccer team got their season rolling on August 21 when hit the road to take on cross county rival the McClain Lady Tigers. The Lady Lions will take on reigning Southern Hills Athletic Conference champions the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs at home on September 29. The Fairfield girls will finish their season on the road against league rival the Fayetteville Lady Rockets.
The Lady Lions will be represented by six seniors, one junior, and three sophomores and freshmen apiece. Fairfield is coached by second year head coach Paij Shelton.
After losing the two leading goal scorers from last season Shelton sees many of her girls stepping up for the team this season, “On the field and off the field I have very capable leaders this year. A lot of girls have stepped up just this year. I have three new senior captains and they are all great leaders. There are more girls that have stepped up this year that are not captains as well.”
In her second year as head coach Shelton is more comfortable this season, “The girls do a good job handling me in this role. I feel like now that I better know a lot of them my relationship with them is much better this year.”
“The strength of this team is the capability of the girls to communicate on and off the field. Most of them have grown up together and been around each other their whole lives. That builds a relationship off the field that will benefit them on the field.”, said Shelton.
Coach Shelton has a high standard for the girls this season, “We are low in numbers but we have a lot of talent. A lot of raw talent, even if the girls have not played the game they are all athletes. I would like to see the girls post a winning record again this year. We lost the two leading scorers from last season but I expect us to not skip a beat this season.”
Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
