FAIRLEA, WV- The 2023 Greenbrier East Lady Spartans soccer team is focused and ready to make noise this season.
The Spartans lost five seniors from last year’s team including goalkeeper Larah Ratliff who was a staple on that end and held the position successfully for the past three years. However, even with that handful of departures, East and head coach Mike Dotson will still have eight seniors on the roster for the program, making the Lady Spartans a threat in the state of West Virginia.
Seniors Kaylee Wiant, Alyson McManamay, and Bailey Nicely will anchor the defense.
“We expect to see big things out of these three seniors who return with extensive varsity experience,” Dotson said.
Myrna Hamilton, Gracie Morgan, Claire Parker, Rylee Carver and Laurel Blankenship round out the senior class and each may be counted on throughout the year for extensive action.
Junior Ryan White returns as a talented midfielder who will show the strength and poise of a two-time all-state player. She brings leadership to the midfield along with Caroline Dotson, who has an uncanny ability to distribute the ball as both a midfielder and a striker. Grace Boettner will step in this year as goalkeeper and try to fill the shoes of Ratliff. Boettner was an offensive field player last year and has a big foot and strong hands.
The sophomore class will be counted on to provide some much-needed depth and talent. Ella Lewis and Trinity Perkins return with plenty of varsity experience last year and will provide a big boost to both the offense and defense. Joining the team this season is Kennedy Stewart who many know as a basketball star for the Lady Spartans on the hardwood.
“Kennedy brings a winning mentality that we hope translates from the hardwood to the pitch,” Dotson stated.
As for the incoming freshman, Dotson was all smiles when speaking of his ninth graders.
“We’re really excited about this year’s freshman group. We have nine freshmen with Ava Workman and Avery Thompson who will be immediate impact players for our team. Ava and Avery, along with several other freshmen, bring speed and athleticism to round out our team,” Dotson said.
So, with expectations high, the Lady Spartans are hoping to hit the field each game and live up to them. They would like nothing more than to replicate the state title that the men’s team won last year.
“We come this year with experienced players who are ready to showcase their talents and bring home a title,” Dotson concluded.
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