Junior forward April Fockler 9right) drives past a Boardman defender in the Blue Streaks’ 5-0 win Aug. 23. Fockler has five assists this season.Mark Milhoan
Like a lightning bolt out of nowhere, the 2025 version of
the Blue Streaks' girls soccer team has struck quickly and continues to light
up the area’s soccer scene. A 3-0 win against Austintown Fitch on Aug. 23 was Lake's fourth victory to start the season, added to wins already posted
against Nordonia (1-0), Tallmadge (6-0) and Boardman (5-0).
The team has been led offensively by junior forwards Kyla
Brinton (12 goals, 2 assists) and April Fockler (5 assists), senior midfielder
Hope Dobney and several freshman newcomers.
Brinton has been on a tear since her freshman year, and she
continues to climb up the Lake all-time record book. In the four wins, she
tallied the winning goal against Nordonia (1-0), five goals against Tallmadge
(6-0), four against Boardman (5-0) and two against Fitch.
Fockler is an assist machine, using extensive ball skills
and passing to put opponents in vulnerable positions for her other attackers.
Dobney is a calming presence in the midfield, and controls
the tempo that the team sets up.
This year’s freshman additions have paid immediate dividends
to the team’s success. Forward Anais Gerbetz and midfielders Claire Ford and
Abigail Erickson have played considerable minutes and have made their on-field
presence felt. Each has brought a different angle to the Lake offense.
Gerbetz (3 goals, 1 assist) has been the perfect addition to
the speedy Brinton-Fockler attack. She is an aggressive and tenacious attacker
who opposing teams have struggled with trying to contain her strength and
speed. She warrants double-coverage,
leaving Britton and Fockler to slice up remaining defenders.
Ford, despite her smallish stature, has proven elusive to
contain and possesses phenomenal ball skills and awareness to escape major
hits.
Outside-mid Erickson is a gritty player whose passes are
lightning quick and on-the-mark whether on the ground or in the air.
Junior Jenna Anderson, freshman Maggie Novak and sophomore
defenders Cecilia Swihart and Abigail Cooper supply valuable minutes coming off
of the bench to give a break to the full-speed-ahead starters.
The constant offensive barrage for the team has taken
pressure off of the defense, which is led by senior goalkeeper Hailey Cooper
senior center-back Mackenzie Orum and juniors Kate Ford, Alina Patel and
Addison Hackman.
The defensive squad has brushed aside any opponent attacks,
and in the process has set a school record with four shutouts to start a
season, never having been done in the first 35 years of the program.
“These girls are off to a great start," said Lake head coach Nathaniel Milhoan, now in his sixth year, They genuinely want to see themselves,
their teammates and the program succeed.
“These girls will fight for one another, no matter
what is thrown in front of them," he added."They have brought out a joy in coaching that I
never knew I had.”
Lake was scheduled to play host to Alliance Aug. 25 then go to Perry on Aug. 27 and Hubbard Aug. 30 before returning home to host Federal League foe GlenOak on Sept.
3.
