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Girls Soccer: Terps Set For Region

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By JARRETT GUTHRIE

Tribune correspondent

Published: January 29, 2009

Last season, the Tampa Prep girls soccer team won its district semifinal and championship games by a combined score of 16-1. This season, it was 15-0 in the two games.

While last year's team was more defined, this season's edition has had constant change in the lineup because of injuries. This time around, Tampa Prep looks to make a deep run in the Class 2A playoffs, but in a drastically different way from last year's state championship team. The Terrapins (14-3-3) host Shorecrest Prep (11-6-1) tonight at 7 in the region quarterfinals.

A year ago, the Terrapins were led by state leading scorer Chelsea Klotz (64 goals), got another 29 goals from Paige Goodwin and had a defense led by senior Carrie Field.

"Last year with Chelsea and Carrie we had a lot more opportunities at the net," said senior Taylor Richardson. "And now it's all about a lot of hard work."

This season has been different for the Terrapins, who saw Goodwin miss the first two months of the season while recovering from knee surgery. They also have been without leading scorer Colby Maffei for much of the late season because of a pulled abdominal muscle.

However, things seem to be coming together at the right time for Tampa Prep as Maffei, while still ailing, scored in the district final. Also, the play from Richardson and Goodwin in the Terrapins' last two matches has been outstanding.

Although the blistering speed and school-record scoring of Klotz is gone, the Terrapins appear to have a unified team, and according to Richardson, a work ethic and intensity that even last year's state championship team didn't have.

"This team is full of spirit," Richardson said. "We train, and everything is all about this team and how hard we work."

Her coach, Pam Smith, echoed Richardson's sentiments about the team, saying it is an ever-changing rotation but it is one she sees succeeding.

"We have a young team this year," Smith said. "We've gone through a lot of different formations and lineups, and I don't know if we just played with the same one we'll play with the rest of the year."

"We're a different team."

And although it is a different team, the Terrapins are looking for this year to end a lot like last year.

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