By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, DigitalSports.com
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Liberty District teams hope to improve on their 0-4 showing in the Northern Region quarterfinals last October. And defending champion W.T. Woodson left the league in the offseason to move to the Patriot District, so the district championship crown is up for grabs this year.
Last year, Fairfax ran the regular-season table in the Concorde and moves to the Liberty in 2009. It went 16-4 last year, earning the top seed in its district tournament, but sputtered late and was upset by Annandale in the first round of the Northern Region Tournament.
The Rebels graduate first-team all-region forwards Lisa Charney (Appalachian State) and Shelby Storosh, but have one of the deepest corps of returning players. Fairfax brings back 13 varsity players from its talented 2008 team, including eight seniors. Expect senior forward Bailey McDade, a second-team all-region player last year, to lead the Rebel charge.
McLean has to replace a handful of defenders, but returns senior midfielder Elisa Enriquez, who earned second-team all-region honors last year. The Highlanders were 12-6-2 last season and had an impressive season opener in 2009. McLean beat defending regional champion Lake Braddock 2-0 Aug. 24 on the road.
Marshall graduates first-team all-region and two-time All-Met keeper Amanda Crider (Virginia), as well as second-team all-region midfielder Chrissy Meoni. But first-team all-region defender Kelly Crider returns and will take a definite leadership role in the back this year.
Jefferson was 10-11 last year, but scored an impressive 4-0 win over National District champion Yorktown in the first round of the regional tournament in the process. The Colonials graduated first-team all-region defender Nadya Muchoney, second-team all-region forward Bobbie Pelham-Webb and second-team all-district forward Toby Lowenstein.
But Jefferson returns first-team all-district sweeper Hope Smith. The defense will be strong under coach Teri Davis. The Colonials graduated their best goal-scorers, though, and junior forward Alison Smedberg may be asked to step into that role.
Madison went 10-9 last year, including a 3-0 win over Washington-Lee in the first round of regionals and played Westfield extremely close in its 2-1 regional quarterfinal loss. The Warhawks graduated nine seniors, but had eight juniors on the varsity roster last season.
Langley was undefeated in the regular-season in 2007, but lost its regional player of the year, along with a slough of other contributors, and struggled last year. Expect coach Jen Robb to rally her more-experienced Saxons with the district title vacated upon the Cavaliers’ departure.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
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