<b>Coach:</b> Kurt Kuykendall, sixth season
<b>2007 Record:</b> 15-4
<b>Key Losses: </b>M Kristen Haynor, D Mary Carter, F Devon Dowell, D Francesca Tuazon, F Rachel Uhrig
<b>Key Players: </b>GK Grace Rosales, SR; F Sara Diggs, SR
<b>Quotable:</b> “How good can the freshman be and how quickly? If they take all year to acclimate themselves, we are going to have a different result than if they acclimate themselves and they start to win games for you.” – head coach Kurt Kuykendall
<b>Outlook:</b> Last year, Madison girls soccer head coach Kurt Kuykendall started three freshman, with the idea that any positive impact that they have on the team will be “kind of a bonus.”
“When young players come into a veteran team, they don’t have to carry the team. They can just fit in and bring something because they are good players, but they don’t have to win the games for you,” said Kuykendall.
Kuykendall’s young starters gave the Warhawks more than a bonus, as Annmarie Irwin, Sami Kuykendall and Kate Murphy helped the Warhawks to a 15-4 record and a trip to the Northern Region tournament semifinals.
This season, Kuykendall has decided to give three more freshman a shot at starting for the Warhawks. For Kuykendall, however, just because it worked last year, doesn’t mean lightening will strike twice.
“How good can the freshman be and how quickly? If they take all year to acclimate themselves, we are going to have a different result than if they acclimate themselves and they start to win games for you,” he said.
Another wild card this year for the Warhawks will be his returning starters, led by senior all-region goalkeeper Grace Rosales and senior forward Sarah Diggs.
“Will they play as well as they did last year? You kind of just don’t know,” said Kuykendall. “We will have to see.”