By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
DALLAS, Ore.– The Dallas Girls Soccer team came back on the Varsity scene in 2024 on a mission.
In their first season back on the Varsity-level since 2018, the Dragons won five games, their first wins since the 2016 season when they won three games.
For Head Coach Melissa Turner, there was some fear as the team came back up to the Varsity level on how they’d do. Her first two years as Head Coach, they were playing at a JV-Only schedule, going 15-5-2 before making the move back to Varsity.
“My first two years, we stayed at the JV-level, and I was scared about that transition and how it would go. So just being able to compete at that level last year and hold our own was really cool,” said Turner.
Dallas went 5-8 overall and 3-6 in Mid-Willamette Conference play. And entering this year, the Dragons returns 12 from that roster. Anchored by Liz Walker at Striker and Audrina Clampitt at goalie, the Dragons are hoping to continue to build upon that foundation they built last season.
“That’s a really good combination of girls. One of them (Walker) is spunky and out-going and the other one (Clampitt) is just a rock as a keeper, so it’s a really good combination of girls to have leading our team,” Turner said of her two captains.
While some teams have worked in a game or two over the last week-and-a-half, Dallas has been working hard at practice. Sharpening up their conditioning and the finer details of the game going into their first game of the game Thursday at home against Clackmas.
“It’s been really good. It’s been nice to have the extra practices leading us into games. We’ve been working hard with conditioning and the basic stuff like touches, passing, and working together as a team. I’m really excited to see it on Thursday,” Turner said.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
