By Ray Hamill — They may be young, but don’t expect the Huskies to be a pushover for any of their league opponents this year.
The Fortuna girls open the new H-DNL soccer season at home to Del Norte on Wednesday night, and despite the players’ relative youth they will carry some momentum into the new campaign.
A roster that features mostly sophomores and freshmen was 2-0-1 in the preseason, placing third at the recent Upper Lake tournament.
The Huskies beat Willits, 4-0, and Middletown, 3-1, and also tied Upper Lake 1-1.
And new head coach Bekah Brooks likes a lot of what she’s seen early on from her roster.
“I think they’re a very competitive team,” she said. “They play with heart, they give it their all on the field, and they don’t give up.”
Malia Bolden is one of three juniors on the team and has been particularly impressive so far, anchoring the defense at sweeper.
“She’s like a rock back there for us,” Brooks said of Bolden, who has steadily improved her game each season with the team. “She’s been amazing.”
A pair of seniors are also expected to play a big role defensively this fall, including goalkeeper Kelsie Hall and left back Mollie Hernandez, while fellow senior Sophia Villalvazo is also back to help anchor midfield.
In addition to Bolden, two other juniors are also expected to help lead a young roster, with Kaydence Ferguson playing alongside Villalvazo in midfield and Mataya Sherman playing right back and serving as the back-up goalkeeper.
“It’s a pretty balanced team,” the head coach said.
A couple of the younger players have got the new season off to a flying start, including sophomore striker Taylor Brooks, who already has five goals and two assists, including a hat trick against Middletown.
Two other sophomores also got on the scoresheet against Willits, with Chloe Cox netting twice and Jocelyn Ortega-Miranda once.
Yet another sophomore, Brylee Barsanti, also has impressed early, showcasing just how much young talent the Huskies have.
Freshmen Raigan Brooks, who is the younger sister of Taylor, and Jocelyn Marquez, both have played on local travel teams and are expected to have an immediate impact at the varsity level.
As for the league, Bekah Brooks expects plenty of competitive games, but sees Arcata as the team to beat this year.
“Arcata, they have a really stacked team,” she said. “But it’ll be fun to watch. It’s going to be a great season for everybody.”
Brooks takes over from Jennifer Femenella, who stepped down as head coach after the spring but remains with the team as an assistant coach.
Longtime local soccer coach Nick Parker also will be helping out this year, along with assistant coach Morgan Ferguson.
Wednesday’s game kicks off at 7 p.m., with the Fortuna and Del Norte boys playing at 5 p.m.
