As the winter sports season comes to an end, spring sports look to take flight, including varsity girls’ soccer. Last year, they finished with a record of 11-7-1, losing in the first round of sectionals to Fort Zumwalt West. This season, they hope to improve and advance to the quarter-finals of state.

“We had a pretty solid year last year, but if we want to improve this season, we really have to work hard at every practice and play as a team,” sophomore Brynna Rutherford said.

In order to get to that level, the Knights have to get past a tough conference, which involves the likes of West, Francis Howell, and Francis Howell Central, a team they have faced in the district championship game the past three years.

“I think that the conference helps us prepare for May,” head coach Mark Olwig said. “Jokingly, it’s a love-hate relationship between those teams. They’re our rivals, but on the other hand you love to play those games because those are the games that prepare you for the end. It would be no fun if every game was easy.”

Last year, FHN lost four seniors. However, the team is very confident moving forward in the season. The team also added two freshman to the roster, that being goalkeeper Jessica Gillen and centerback McKenna Davis. Olwig hopes that the two will be able to prove themselves on the team throughout the season and that they will hopefully grow with the team throughout the season.

“They have earned their spot on the team and that’s the first hurdle in a three hurdle race,” Olwig said. “The second hurdle is that they have to perform well, and the third one is dealing with how they deal with the pressure. They have to deal with going up against someone two or three years older than they are. They also have to grow to fit in with the team. It’s high school, freshman are going to be different than the seniors, they’re going to have to grow into it. But we feel that both of them are only going to get better with the season.”