By John Orrell, Contributing Writer
Westborough High girls varsity soccer captains (l to r) Chelsea Taylor, Claire Hounslow, and Skyler Barry (Photo/John Orrell)
Shrewsbury/Westborough – With a talent-laden roster that features 11 seniors and a cast of younger players set to augment the battle-tested veterans, there may be no time like the present for the Westborough High School (WHS) girls’ varsity soccer team to make a statement to area competition in 2017.
The Ranger girls did nothing to dispel the notion that this is a team to watch with its 5-2 triumph over host Shrewsbury High in its season-opener Sept. 5. Westborough sprung from the gate with four first-half goals and never looked back in capturing the win on Colonial turf. Casey McNamara tallied twice while Emma Mumby, Iona Cotton and Skyler Barry chipped in with one goal apiece.
“Scoring four goals in the first half brought up our confidence especially because last year we went four games without scoring, so to come out and put four goals up on the board so quickly allowed us to settle into our game and play the way we wanted to play,” said senior co-captain Chelsea Taylor. “There are a lot of expectations but a lot of us have played together since we were young and that really helps. It’s going to be fun coming together our senior year getting out there and winning some games.”
“Winning today is great because it really sets the tone on how our season’s going to go,” said Barry, also a senior co-captain. “We came out strong but we need to keep improving as we go along. We’re really excited about heading home now because it’s our home field and we want to show all our friends and our family what we can do. We have a lot of support from the school and it’s just exciting.”
The Rangers now find themselves awash in home field advantage and acknowledge that they need to string up wins. Five of the next six matches are at the comfortable confines of Mihewinny Field and that should be a welcome sight when the team reunites in Westborough, according to senior tri-captain Claire Hounslow.
“When the crowd comes out it gets us all going and we’re confident that we’re going to go out there and do our best and it really gets our whole team playing together. In the beginning of the season we do a lot of team bonding,” she said. “We like to joke around but we have an awesome coach who brings us together and makes us really serious at practice.”
Hounslow is referring to estimable head coach Paul Mumby now in his 11th year guiding the Ranger girls. Mumby has produced seven Mid-Wachusett titles in his tenure at Westborough and his skillful and calming coaching style fits the needs of this team. He returns to a team that went 10-5-5 in the always-tough Mid-Wachusett B in 2016 and lost a heartbreaker to Wachusett Regional in the District semifinals.
“Because we did so well last year it almost seems like we have a target on our backs and the girls know teams are trying extra hard to beat us,” acknowledged Mumby. “We’re not used to losing and we don’t like it so the girls are working very hard. We need to work as a team and know what each other is going to do. Communication is big but we have to work forward and backward as a unit and know what the game situations are.”
Mumby is quick to point out the respect he has for his entire squad and articulates his pride at being the Rangers’ head coach. He also knows that with the nucleus he has on this 2017 team that anything is possible with the right approach.
“We have to be quietly confident. It’s the old cliché ‘one at a time,’” he said. “We had a great performance today. The senior leadership on the team is important. These girls will do whatever they’re asked to do to win games. I love these kids and I’ve known them a long time. I’m proud to be wearing the word ‘Rangers’ across my chest. I’m very proud of being the coach at Westborough.”
Members of the 2017 Westborough High girls varsity soccer team are seniors Kyra Barrett, Skyler Barry, Abby Burger, Emily Burneson, Erin Cotton, Tess Garrity, Claire Hounslow, Miriam Levesque, Jenna Lewis-Keddy, Chelsea Taylor, Sarissa Volin; juniors Casey McNamara, Katie Sommerville, Bethany Woodcock; sophomores Iona Cotton, Carolyn Kelly, Ellen Lawrence, Emma Phelps and freshmen Kayleigh McCabe and Emma Mumby.