Defense rules in Pack/Lion matchup Story and photos by Tara Hefferan In spring 2022, Newaygo Girl's Soccer won the District Championship for the first time in program history. Tonight, they returned to the field to kick off the 2023 season in Fremont. Rivals Newaygo and Fremont battled for 80 intense minutes, but after much back and forth, the match ended in a 1-1 tie. This year, six experienced seniors are on Newaygo’s roster, but otherwise the squad has been largely remade, with only a few other players returning from last year. Coach Matt Painter said, “This season is a bit of a mystery for us as a coaching staff. There are a couple girls we were planning on having this year that decided not to be here, and that has resulted in us having to experiment with some different players and some different types of formations.” The first half of tonight’s match saw the Packers take an early lead, following a corner kick play that led to the first goal by Mia Clemence. Halftime ended with the Packers in a 1-0 lead. As senior midfielder Lynnea Briones said, “I think we came out a little nervous in the first half, but we definitely picked it up in the second half.” Indeed, with several near goals, including one called back for offensive “obstruction,” the Lions secured the equalizer early in the second half, when Briones passed the ball to senior McCaiden Reinstra, who then powered it past Fremont’s keeper to tie the game. Despite several other good looks at goal, Newaygo in the end was not able to secure the win. From a fan perspective, tonight’s contest was a crowd-pleaser, as the Fremont Packers and Newaygo Lions each brought intensity to the field. While Fremont has recently played two matches, this was Newaygo’s first chance to put their chemistry to the test. As Goalkeeper Barbara Toth said, “We played well for playing for the first time together. We have a lot of new people, and we’re all still learning to play with each other. We succeeded more in the second half because we were getting used to playing with each other. We are a good team, and I’m excited to see where this season goes.” Reflecting on Newaygo’s first game of 2023, Coach Painter said, “The first half was a bit rough and we struggled to find much in the way of possession. After making a couple adjustments at half, our girls started stringing together passes, which resulted in several good looks at goal. Even though we couldn’t pull out a win, I was pleased with our second half performance, and I have no doubt that we will continue to improve.” That optimism infuses the Newaygo soccer family. Senior Captain Grace Painter said, “It’s amazing, getting back on the field with my friends for my senior year and being able to compete playing the sport I love!” Senior McCaiden Reinstra said, “It was exciting to be back on the field alongside my friends once again!” Senior Captain Sofia Briggs said, “Although I was a little nervous for our first game, it felt great to be back on the field playing with my besties. I’m excited to see our development as a team throughout the season!”
This will be another exciting season for our Near North Now fans to follow. As Coach Painter said, “Last season’s success will be hard to duplicate, but I expect that we will meld together and find ways to have another productive spring season!”
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