New coaches looking to spark Warren East

MICHEAL COMPTON, The Daily News
August 13, 2010
It’s the beginning of a new era for the Warren East soccer teams. Not only will both teams enjoy a new district, but both will welcome the realignment with new coaches.

Darren Waldo moves to the girls’ sidelines after one year as boys’ head coach, while Chad Folk will take over the boys’ program.Both coaches enter the season with high expectations, eager to make a splash in 2010.

The Lady Raiders return several key players from last year’s team, which finished 5-9-1 but stumbled to a 1-6 district record.

Still, Waldo has been encouraged with what he has seen in the preseason.“We’re building in the right direction this season,” Waldo said. “As of right now we have just under 20 high school girls on the roster and to see that at Warren East is a great thing.”Warren East loses four-year starter Mailey Young, but returns senior Jessica Morales – who tied for the team lead with six goals – and senior keeper Cally Vincent. Waldo said he also expects big things from senior Brooke Grimes and junior Sumi Jagat.

Waldo added he is hopeful that experience will be a bigger factor in a new district that will see the Lady Raiders battling Greenwood, Barren County, Glasgow, Grayson County, Hart County and Monroe County.

“The redistricting will be key for us this season,” Waldo said. “We’re looking at a serious battle with Greenwood, Barren County and Glasgow to see who will make the regional tournament. We’ve tried to balance our schedule out with some teams outside of the region that will push us and hopefully we’ll see the benefit of playing Fort Campbell, Webster County, Hopkins County Central and some of those teams from out west when we hit October.”

The Raiders also will be part of a new district – with the same alignment as the Lady Raiders.

After an 8-11-1 season last year, which ended with a close loss to Warren Central in the postseason, Folk is hopeful Warren East can continue to improve.

“There is a lot of untapped talent,” Folk said. “We definitely have the opportunity to key into that. Our expectations are to show up for every game and be a presence – a team not necessarily to fear, but one that other teams respect.”

The Raiders will feature a mix of six seniors and a group of underclassmen that Folk believes will have a hand in the team’s fortunes in 2010.

Senior captain Wes Bratcher is expected to lead the way, with senior Zach Preston expected to be a force in the back and senior Alex Richey manning the middle.Folk said he has also been encouraged by junior keeper Diego Ortiz, adding the pieces are in place for the Raiders to make some noise in 2010.

“We want to have a positive season – more wins than losses – and increase our record from last year,” Folk said. “There are a lot of opportunities there with the new district. I think we have the personnel to do it.”

Lady Raiders draw with Hart County

Munfordville, KY — Warren East hopes to open the season with a W came up just short as the Hart County Raiders scored an equalizing goal with less than a minute left.

Junior Sumi Jagat scored, to even the game after Hart County put one in the net early on, with senior Jessica Morales assisting on the goal.

Hart County reclaimed the lead with a penalty kick from a questionable hand ball call in the box.

Junior, Mandie Silas scored unassisted to tie the game up.

Morales put WE on top for the first time in the game just prior to half time with an assist from sophomore Macey Jenkins.

Warren East looked to be cruising to a 3-2 win, but a foul called just outside of the box lead to a free kick.  A clutter 18 yard box allowed Hart County to get a shot off in close to tie the game with less than a minute left.

Warren East (0-0-1) travel to the Lover’s Lane Soccer Complex to take on South Warren next Monday for a cross town match-up.

**Middle School Schedule Change**

Saturday August 21st game with University Heights Academy (Hopkinsville) has been canceled. No reschedule date has been set as of yet.

Update coming to the website

With the beginning of the season upon us we are working really hard to finalize our schedule by confirming times and adding a few last minute games.

The Girls’ team (7-12) will be practicing right after school until 5:00 Monday through Friday.

The Middle School team, boys and girls, (5-8) will practice Monday August 2nd and Thursday August 5th. 4:00 to 5:30.  Players will be given an updated season schedule for the Middle School practice times on the 2nd.

Boys 9-12 will follow Coach Folk’s schedule unless notified by him.

Additionally the Middle School game originally scheduled for August 3rd has been canceled and the JV tournament at Warren Central on August 14th has been canceled.

Summer Conditioning has started

The summer conditioning and open field schedule is as follows:

June 2	Wed.	Kereiakes Park	8:00-9:30 PM
June 4	Fri.	Kereiakes Park	8:00-9:30 PM
June 7	Mon.	Kereiakes Park	8:00-9:30 PM
June 8	Tue.	WEHS	4:00-6:00
June 9	Wed.	Kereiakes Park	8:00-9:30 PM
June 14	Mon.	Kereiakes Park	8:00-9:30 PM
June 15	Tue.	WEHS	4:00-6:00
June 16	Wed.	Kereiakes Park	8:00-9:30 PM
June 21	Mon.	Kereiakes Park	8:00-9:30 PM
June 22	Tue.	WEHS	4:00-6:00
June 23	Wed.	Kereiakes Park	8:00-9:30 PM

At Kereiakes please bring water/Gatorade and running shoes.  We will be running.  Make sure you eat a bite to eat for breakfast too.

At WEHS we will be having open field.  Bring cleats and shin guards to play.  You must have a current physical form turned in to Coach Waldo to participate in open field and conditioning.

Parent Meeting Dated Moved back one week

A parent meeting that will be used to elect booster club officials and form committees for the 2010-2011 school year will be held May 10th in the High School Library.  If your child is playing soccer for Warren East next fall please attend this meeting so we can get all of our bases covered for the planning phase of the season.

Thanks, Coach Waldo…

Parent Meeting **May 3rd**

May 3rd will be the next parent meeting for both the boys and girls soccer teams.  The meeting will be held at 7pm in the high school library.  Booster officials will be elected during the meeting.

Waldo to coach girls team also, joined by former WKU standouts

Warren East Athletic Director Jonathon Vincent has named Darren Waldo head coach of the Lady Raiders Soccer Program.  Waldo is also the head coach of Warren East’s boys’ soccer program as well.

“We’re really excited about this fall and ready to get going as soon as we can,” Waldo said.  “In addition to getting more girls out to play we’re going to focus on developing our players into more skillful players and compete with some of the bigger soccer schools in the region.”

Assisting in doing this will be WKU four year players Kellie and Katie Walker.  The Novi, Michigan natives will be joining Waldo on the side lines this fall as they finish up their final semester of classes at Western.

Kellie, who was named the 2009 Sunbelt Conference Player of the Year, scored 5 goals and notched 12 goals this past season for the Hilltoppers from midfield. Katie, a defender, scored a pair of goals during her career and notched 2 assists for Western this past season.

“We’re both really excited and gratefully for this opportunity and can’t wait to get started,” Kellie said.

Both Walkers have been given the opportunity to play in the W-League this summer and will join the Lady Raiders just after the start of two-a-day practices this fall.  In addition to their successful careers at WKU they won a pair of High School State championships and have played at the club level since an early age.

“We’re really fortunate to have Kellie and Katie join us this fall,” Waldo said.  “It’s worked out really well as I’ll be hard pressed for time between the nearly 40 varsity matches we’ve got scheduled in addition to the JV matches and starting a middle school program this fall.  The experience and energy they bring will make us a much better program from the start.”

The Lady Raiders finished last season with a record of 5-9-1 under former coach David Embry and lose graduating seniors Mailey Young, Hillary Jenkins, Amy Silva, and Sarah Saysanavong.  Young has signed to play with Campbellsville University this fall.

Redistrict done deal

Bowling Green, KY — The KHSAA board of control approved re-redistricting the 4th district in boys and girls soccer.  The move divides the region into  East-West Districts.  Regionally, the Raiders will face it’s  stiffest competition from state runner-up Greenwood.

4^th Region Soccer Realignment

7^th District: Bowling Green, Butler County, Franklin-Simpson, Muhlenberg County, Russellville, South Warren, Warren Central

8^th District: Barren County, Glasgow, Grayson County, Greenwood, Hart County, Monroe County, Warren East

Raider Soccer Players Excel off the field

Juniors Nate Davis, first place in instrumental talent (piano), and Austin Dubree and Zach Preston, first place in instrumental/vocal group performance, all won accolades at the Future Educators Association seventh annual state conference in Louisville.  Congratulations guys.