The North Oconee girls soccer team started off the season with a loss but have won every game since and the main key to their success has been their organization on defense.
Head Coach Ben Grassmyer believes that his team’s opening game is the type of game that if it was played again, then it would end with a victory for the Titans.
“I think everyone agrees that if we played it again it wouldn’t be a loss,” said Grassmyer. “I don’t think we were quite ready. I don’t think the players knew what the coaches quite wanted yet.”
In the Titans opening game, they fell to Apalachee High school by a score of 2-0, but during their 7 game win streak, they have only given up three goals and have had five shutouts. Their defensive efforts have definitely increased since their opening match and have played a major key to their success this season.
The Titans have been absolutely dominant in their defensive performances since their opening match and Grassmyer believes that the organization in that area has given the team a huge boost.
“Organization between our center backs and our outside backs and making sure we’re not beat on a long ball or set piece,” said Grassmyer “Four of the goals we have given up have been long balls or set pieces, which are very fixable and we’ve fixed it.”
Grassmyer believes his defenders’ aggressive style of play has helped his defense have so much success, but still, believes there is one main attribute that has helped them to be so successful.
“We’re also very good at closing down space and being aggressive in the back, so just credit to the back four really,” Grassmyer said. “It all comes down to organization really and staying organized, staying where we need to be, staying tight and sound defensively.”
The Titans are starting region play in their next game and they are facing St. Pius X, which has won the state championship seven out of the last eight years. The Golden Lions have another stellar team this year and have scored 50 goals through their first 11 games. Facing such a potent offense will test the Titans outstanding defense and Grassmyer understands the test in front of his team.
“We’ve practiced hard defensively the past two to three days, We’ve really tried to prepare for it,” Grassmyer said. “We’re gonna try to be as organized as we can and that’s what we’ve practiced, staying organized and staying together, and we’ve asked the girls to just out battle them and it’s gonna be a battle.”
The Titans are led by senior center back Avery Langley and she understands the defensive battle she has in front of her but is excited to play it at home.
“It will be a really tough game, especially defensively, probably one of the biggest defensive games we’ve had in the past four years,” Langley said. “It’ll be a challenge but I’m excited to see how good we fight.”
Grassmyer said that he that his teams’ upcoming three-game stretch against St. Pius X, Collins Hill and their crosstown rivals Oconee County is definitely the toughest stretch of his teams’ season.
With such a tough stretch coming up for the Titans, they will have to continue to stay organized on defense and have the defensive success they have had in their past seven games if they hope to keep their winning streak alive.
Michael Pope 