2013 Cheyenne Girls Soccer Capsule

CHEYENNE

Head coach: Michael Knutsen, first season

2012 record: 10-6-2 (6-4-2 I-A Sunset, fourth)

Returning letter winners (starters): Four (four)

Top players: MF/F Jocelyn Vasquez (Sr.), MF Josie Lourenco (Jr.), D Bianca Flores (Sr.), MF Emily Gutierrez (Jr.), MF Stephanie Chinchilla (Jr.), F Girly Tambeagbor (So.)

Outlook: The Desert Shields’ building process took a major step forward last year when the team qualified for the postseason.

But with only four starters back, Cheyenne has some work to do if it hopes to continue its upward trend.

“We have many young players who will be stepping into new roles and positions on the field,” Knutsen said. “We will have a certain lack of experience.

Knutsen moved from junior varsity to varsity this season, so he knows well the players he will have.

“The Desert Shields are a team-oriented, tactically-focussed, fundamentally driven group of youg players,” he said. “They play an aggressive, trapping defense which translates into a quick counter-attacking style of play.”