HANNIBAL -- The 2022 Hannibal girls' soccer team saw a lot of success -- coming away with 21 wins to just five losses and a season that finished in the Class 3 District 4 semifinal in a 3-1 loss to Duchesne.
With a couple of key starters returning mixed with some familiar faces that will have bigger roles, the standard still remains the same for Hannibal head coach Eric Hill’s team.
“As far as the regular season goes, we want to compete for a conference championship," said Hill. "(It's) something we’ve been able to do the last few years. When we get to postseason play this year, like any other team we want to play as long as we can and hopefully get some favorable matchups, but right now we’re taking it one game at a time so our focus is on Warrenton.”
The Lady Pirates will be looking to stack back-to-back wins against Warrenton dating back to the end of the Class 3 District 4 quarterfinal game where the Lady Pirates had a shutout 6-0 win against them helping them advance last postseason.
The team will open up this season on the road against Warrenton next Tuesday at 6:30 pm.
Hannibal will be without All-State forward Bella Falconer, who set a new team record with 47 goals in a single season during her senior campaign.
The Lady Pirates offense will look to still be just as potent with returning starters, such as sophomore forwards Abbie Martin and Ashley Davis and sophomore midfielder Macy Behrens.
All three sophomores were First Team All-Conference selections last season.
The inexperience will be something the group will have to figure out more so on the defensive side of things as Coach Hill and the staff will determine who the best fits are amongst the girls who don’t have much varsity starting experience.
“Our defense and communication are going to be key for us, we’ve had a few scrimmages lately, and coming out of it that’s something we talked about is just improving our communication which we’ll get better as the girls build chemistry this year,” said Hill.
Hannibal will return sophomore goalkeeper Ava Turner, who set single-season school records in wins (21) and shutouts (17) as a freshman last year.
Defender Katie Greening graduated, leaving Hannibal young on defense.
“Our defense is pretty inexperienced," Hill said. "We have one returning starter, senior Gracie Martin. She’s been a consistent starter and will be key for us in that center position.”
Sophomores Lauren Munzlinger and Addison Wright will see more time as the starting outside midfielders. Freshman Kegan Greening and sophomore Macy Behrens will see more time this season at those positions as well.
With only six upperclassmen returning this season and 13 underclassmen, five of them being freshman, the Lady Pirates will certainly have a younger team than in previous seasons but the standard is still high for this soccer team.
2023 Schedule
March 24-25 -- at Quincy Tournament
April 4 -- Quincy Notre Dame
April 14-15 -- Lady Pirate Invitational
April 18 -- at Kirksville
April 20 -- Jefferson City
April 28-29 -- at Laker Shootout
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