The Sierra Canyon girls soccer team is looking forward to an exciting 2022-2023 year on the pitch.
The team lost several players to graduation but returns a good core, including three key players.
Natalie Babcock, Anya Jones and Olivia Theodoratos.
Babcock is a center-back and will be a key cog in the Trailblazers defense. Jones will play at mid-field and Theodoratos will be a forward.
Theodoratos will be looked upon to score goals for Sierra Canyon.
Jones is recovering from a toe injury and will be back in December, hopefully.
“We lost some good veteran players from our league championship team,” Sierra Canyon coach WIll Beard said. “But we have some good players coming back. We lost some experience and we have to find a way to make up for the goal production from last year. I am confident the girls will step up.”
Theodoratos gets the nod first trying to help ease the burden of the graduated Viktoria Balbin, now at Sarah Lawrence College in New York.
Another big key for Sierra Canyon will be goalkeeper Audri Kilonsky. Kilonsky gets to be the main keeper this year after waiting her turn for a couple years.
“Audri gets her moment now,” Beard said. “She has been waiting for this. It’s now her turn. She will doa great job.”
The team plays Crossroads, Viewpoint, Highland of Palmdale and Cleveland of Reseda for nonleague games and will travel to Bakersfield to participate in the Garces Memorial tournament.
Sierra Canyon is also in the Mission League this year against quality programs such as Harvard-Westlake, Chaminade, Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, Marymount and Flintridge-Sacred Heart.
“We are in a great league and face tough competition each match now,” Beard said. “We will be challenged for sure.”