Emery Hernandez

Postseason honors have rolled in for the Powell Panther girls’ soccer team. Sophomores Ivy Agee and Coy Erickson earned All-State honors for the second year in a row, while junior Emily Orr joined them on that team. Agee was also named the state’s Underclassman of the Year while freshman Emery Hernandez was named to the 3A West All-Conference team.

UNDERCLASSMAN OF THE YEAR

For the second year in a row, Agee was one of the top scorers in the state for 3A while adding a new honor after being named Underclassman of the Year.

Despite taking a small step back in scoring from last year, Agee once again had a dominant season scoring and led the Panthers in goals with 36.

“It was definitely pretty cool to be selected for All-State again but I just need to keep working towards my goal,” Agee said.

Throughout the season the Panthers continued to show improvement all over the pitch, with Agee noting that the Panthers were able to improve defensively and keep possession of the ball easier to help the team win its first ever trophy at state, placing third.

“We improved a lot, especially in our defensive line and in our ability to keep possession of the ball,” Agee said. “We connected with the ball very well and worked together as a team pushing up the field. We also did very well at dropping back and staying strong in midfield and our defensive line.”

Agee’s slight drop in scoring was compensated by her taking on a larger role in playing creator in the midfield and finding assists for her teammates — the team scored more than 70 goals this season.

“When we were able to connect our passes we created lots of openings for through balls,” Agee said. “This worked very well especially when we were able to find our forwards on their runs behind the defense. We also moved off the ball very well instead of standing in one spot.”

In the summer and into the fall, Agee said she intends to continue working hard on soccer to see through balls easier, before transitioning to basketball in the winter as part of the Panther girls’ varsity squad.

“I will definitely be training a lot more this summer and working on seeing these runs more in practice and making my passes the right speed,” Agee said. “Working out will be a big component this summer and basketball will hopefully help me stay a little fit going into the spring season.”

Reflecting on the season and looking forward, Agee is hopeful the team can maintain its attitude from this season moving forward, carrying the skills learned this year to next in search of the program’s first state championship.

“Working on keeping our positive attitude and energy from having a great season this year and carrying it into our next season,” Agee said. “Also, just keep developing and focusing on the main points we worked on this year.”

SECOND HONOR

For the second year in a row, Erickson was named to the All-State team, serving as a strong defensive midfielder for the Panthers along with filling in as a center back at times.

“It means a lot that I got to be named All-State again,” Erickson said. “Not very many people get to be named All-State both their freshman and sophomore years. I’m very grateful to also be named All-State next to some of my best friends.”

Transitioning into her sophomore year, Erickson felt that she was able to improve her footwork defensively which allowed for her to be on the ball more rather than heading it away.

“I think that basketball has definitely been a big part when it comes to playing defense and being able to break people down,” Erickson said. “I felt as if I wasn’t in the air as much as I was last year heading the ball but I did get many touches on the ball. I was using the footwork that (coach) Danny [Agee] had us do in practice to transfer it into a game.”

In her position, Erickson said that it is important to control the game both offensively and defensively, serving as a pivot in between the two lines for the Panthers.

“It’s very important to control the game in my position because I have to commit to playing both defense and offense. I have to be able to intercept passes being passed through, provide cover for my defense if needed and play balls through to my attackers,” Erickson said. “I have to make quick decisions and be able to do them under pressure which can all add up to be a key part on the field.”

Despite playing defensive midfielder, Erickson was not shy when finding the goal, improving on her total from a season ago to finish with eight this year.

Her contribution helped the team to its historic third place finish at state.

“It meant a lot. It’s always good to end on something positive. We continued to improve and push each other every day at practice,” Erickson said. “There are always going to be ups and downs in the season and you have to find ways to overcome them and I think we stepped over a big path ending the season the way we did.”

Heading into summer and beyond, Erickson said the honor will motivate her more while playing golf and basketball.

“It’ll help motivate my confidence in other sports just knowing that I have to keep putting the work in and keep pushing through even when it gets hard,” Erickson said. “I’m looking to improve how I execute things and to always work hard cause you’ll never know when it’s your last.”

FIRST SELECTION

The final All-State selection for the Panthers was center back Emily Orr, who got the honor for an improved Panther defense which recorded four clean sheets this season.

“Getting the honor of All-State was a goal of mine going into the season,” Orr said. “Great players from across the state were also recognized, and I think that it was well deserved by all players statewide.”

Orr has played as a center back the past two seasons after playing as an attacking midfielder her first year with the Panthers.

“My freshman year I would have considered myself to be out of position, so going back to center back the last two years is more familiar to me,” Orr said. “I predominantly play defense on my club team, so I think being able to play it for the high school is a great way to improve my game in the long run. Being versatile and fluent in a variety of positions is something I do pride myself in as I have had to do a lot of hard work and learning in my younger years to get to where I am able to be utilized in multiple positions.”

She said that she has been able to improve her defensive positioning and tactics via the help of her family, who works with her year round to improve and learn how to defend different players.

“I work to improve my defensive abilities year-round both indoor and outdoor,” Orr said. “My family and I also watch many hours of film, and we break down each offensive player to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. We then go to the field quite often to work on the movements of each offensive player and how to best counterattack those strengths. It’s a lot of work both mentally and physically, but it really prepares me for game day.”

She wrapping up the season with a trophy was a big accomplishment for the team as the Panthers had many moments to remember throughout the season.

“The team was proud of their accomplishments at state and throughout the season,” Orr said. “We had many notable moments and put in a lot of hard work that led up to our results at state.”

Orr plans to continue working and improving throughout her final year.

“Going into my senior year I have a number of tournaments lined out for the summer, fall and winter seasons,” she said. “Continuing to practice and play with a variety of players across multiple states allows me to grow my game since I can see multiple playing styles which ultimately improves my defensive abilities and skill set.”

Orr was able to score one goal for the Panthers this season.

ALL-CONFERENCE

The final Panther to receive postseason honors was Hernandez, who received the nod after playing several positions during the season.

She began the year in midfield for the Panthers, before transitioning to a striker midway through.

Hernandez ended her freshman year with 17 goals, but just missed out on All-State honors after being entered into a competitive forward group in 3A.