Mounts optimistic as season approaches

Dreams and goals are set and they are now on the verge of being played out.

Certainly, it's the most exciting part of the season as teams prepare for opening day.

And for the Ephrata Mounts soccer team, with special dreams of their own, they can't wait to get going.

Ephrata, which reached the L-L League playoffs as well as Districts a year ago, enters the 2007 campaign with as much potential as any Lady Mount team since Head Coach Chris Dutton took over the helm several years ago.

Despite the loss of graduated goalkeeper Becca Cetkowski as well as Tennessee-bound striker Melissa Speros, who chose not to go out this year, the Lady Mounts are still quite loaded and very capable of challenging for the top spot in Section Two.

Last year's top two scorers Arielle Gordon and Leah Sipe are back to anchor a strong front line and midfield while a total of 12 veterans return to the team all together.

Needless to say, the Lady Mounts have high expectations.

"The girls expectations and goals are good and promising," Dutton said Tuesday. "As a matter of fact we just spent yesterday in the classroom discussing goal setting and how to set specific, achievable, measurable goals as an individual player since they have 100 percent control over how they meet their own specific goals. All building on each other to support the team goal of increasing our standings in the section and going farther in post season play."

Dutton expects Sipe, who played alongside Speros in center midfield a year ago, to "become an even more dominating force on the field from last year," and said she "has the potential to surpass her own expectations."

As for Gordon, who enters the season just a few points shy of 100 for her career, Dutton said he is confident "she will again step up and score 40-50 points this season and lead her teammates towards success."

In addition to those headliners, the Lady Mounts other key returning members include: midfielder Kelly Martin; Jess Cox, a former sweeper who will be looking more to attack; Sabrina Pfautz; Emily Simmons; Emily Beamesderfer; Claire Woolley; Aly Goodman; Tori Summers; Joscelyn Crills and Sarah Hasselback.

"If we strive to achieve each players specific goals we will succeed," Dutton said.

As for playing the season without the talented Speros manning the midfield, Dutton said he believes his team can find a way to overcome her loss.

"Melissa is a fabulous player and I wish her all the best in her career and at Tennessee this fall," he said. "As far as how this affects the players, I can only tell you this from my experience; teams with heart and desire will pull together and wonderful things tend to happen... I hope to be pleasantly surprised."