Trevor Phipps
It’s not just about pigskin action in the fall season, as several popular team sports are in full swing for the 2022 year. Here are a few highlights so far in the season for high school softball, soccer, and volleyball.
Woodland Park High School Softball
The Woodland Park High School Softball team started the 2022 season with a new coach and many new players. The girls so far are off to a rough start, but they are quickly picking up on the aspects of the game.
To start the season, the girls played several teams that were out of their league. But now that the team is playing league games, the new head coach Cliff Richardson is hopeful that they can win more contests.
The team is 4-10 overall and 0-2 in league play, but they have celebrated some big wins this season. During their last win on September 10, the Lady Panthers beat Sand Creek 14 -7.
Richardson is new to the softball team this year, but he has experience coaching baseball as an assistant coach. “I am excited about the improvements I have seen over the summer,” Richardson said at the beginning of the season. “The team has been improving every game. We have an all new coaching staff, but the team has been good at grasping new concepts. We have proven to have the ability to shoot down big innings.”
The coach said that there have been a few players that have stood out this season. Kendra Fish currently has a batting average of 0.441 and she has picked up 15 hits, 16 RBIs and one homerun.
Katie Roy has played in all 14 games and she has racked up five runs, five RBIs, and a homerun. The coach said that Lexy Curran has been nearly perfect at the plate this season as she has earned 19 runs and 15 hits.
The Lady Panthers continue their season this week when they play two league matches and one non-league game. On Tuesday, the team has a league match against the 7-1 Wiley Panthers on the road and then they play the 12-4 Lamar Thunder at home on Thursday. Saturday the Lady Panthers go back on the road to challenge the 2-8 Pueblo Centennial Bulldogs.
Woodland Park High School Soccer
The Woodland Park boys’ soccer team might win the award this year for being the biggest turn around team. The team’s new coach Kip Shubert has turned the team around and their future is looking hopeful.
The Panthers currently have a 2-4 record, but they haven’t yet played any league games. The team though has recently celebrated two big wins against Pueblo East (4-0) and Mitchell (5-2).
Freshman Myles Wiley has recently been the talk of the town due to his performance both on the soccer field and the football gridiron. Wiley scored four goals against Mitchell during a match two weeks ago, and then he kicked five field goals against the same team in his football uniform.
Wiley currently leads the team in goals but there are some players who are right behind him. Senior Kyden Marsh has racked up two goals and two assists while junior Caden Howard has scored two goals and helped out with three assists.
When it comes to goaltending, freshman Noah Magistrelli has led the Panthers’ defensive efforts by guarding the net during all six games. He has had 10 goals scored against him giving him 1.667 goals against average for the season.
The team continues their season with two non-league home matches this week. On Tuesday, they take on the 2-5 Sierra Stallions and then on Thursday they challenge the 2-4 Palmer Terrors for the high school’s homecoming week.
Woodland Park High School Volleyball
The Lady Panthers might have been the most anticipated fall sports team this season due to their success in the past. The team has been crowned league champions the last two years.
So far this season, the Panthers have not disappointed their fans as they currently have a winning record. The team lost a few non-league matches early in the season, but they seem to be turning things around now that they are playing teams in their league.
The team lost their first three games in a row, but now they have won their last five games with four of them being shutouts. The girls currently have a 5-3 overall record and a 2-0 league record after shutting out Ellicott and St. Mary’s last week.
This year, the team has several seniors on its starting roster that have not disappointed. When it comes to attacking, senior Kayla Stimits leads the team with 64 kills.
When it comes to serving senior Sydney Roshek is the head of the pack with 33 serving aces and a total of 70 points. Senior Kyra Kidd stands out when it comes to blocking with 16 solo blocks and two assists.
Senior Giana Roskam leads the team in ball handling with 254 assists and 832 ball handling attempts. Junior Kara Wiley has also helped the team immensely with her 77 receptions and 70 digs.
The Lady Panthers continue their season this week with two league matches. On Tuesday, they travel on the road to challenge the 4-7 banning Lewis Academy Stallions and then on Thursday they play the 4-7 Colorado Springs Christian Lions at home.
*This week, the Woodland Park High School Football team will host Colorado Springs Christian Lions during their homecoming game. Last week, the team, which is 2-1, had a bye week.
