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’Jackets soccer in rebuild mode

Photo by Ron Johnston Williamstown goalkeeper Joseph James goes through a drill during a practice session Tuesday in Williamstown.

WILLIAMSTOWN — Williamstown High will be featuring a junior-oriented boys’ soccer team on the pitch this upcoming season.

Last fall, the Yellowjacket booters had 10 seniors on the roster, and of course they all graduated this past spring.

“We have no seniors on the roster this year,” said WHS head coach Telma Poole. “But we have 13 juniors on the team this year.”

Those juniors are Trenton Lynch, Terran Tuttle, Joseph James, Grant Bobbitt, Dylan Cosner, Damian Cunningham, Landon Mahaney, Deshon Simon, Bradey Fayad, Boston Carruthers, Mason Bosgraf, Dylan Hall, and Josh Chambers.

James, a Little Kanawha Conference first-team goalkeeper, and Carruthers, a midfielder/defender, Hall, and Chambers, both mids, will be the only starters back from last season’s 15-3-2 maroon and gold squad.

Carruthers will also be kicking for the Williamstown football team this season.

“We lost seven starters from last year’s team,” Poole said. “So, we will be rebuilding, but we’re going to be OK, and we’re going to have fun.”

Thing is, though, it’s going to be a challenge filling the big shoes of striker Dakota Hammer, who was a Class AA-A first-team all-stater and the LKC Player of the Year with 36 goals and 21 assists. And, the Jackets will also miss first-team league honorees’ striker Jonathan Petty, midfielder Josh Folwell, and defender Jonathan Dietz as well as second-team defenders’ Isaac Bosgraf and Isaac Brown.

At the state level, Petty and Bosgraf were honorable mention selections.

“Last year’s team played together for four years,” Poole said. “And, we had a good season.”

Poole is hoping that this year’s large junior class can duplicate some of the magic of the 2016 campaign.

“It’s all about how much this team wants to learn,” she said. “Their hustle is amazing, and they give 100 percent all the time.”

Williamstown is slated to kick off its season on the road at Fairmont Senior at 6 p.m. Aug. 22 and at Parkersburg Catholic at 6 p.m. Aug. 24. The Yellowjackets will play Philip Barbour in their home opener at 2 p.m. Aug. 26.

“It’s a tough schedule with teams like Warren, Marietta, Charleston Catholic, and Wood County Christian School on it,” Poole said.

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