The McNary High School girls soccer team is vying for a rebound after last year’s lackluster 3-9-2 season.

Coach Bianca Andrade wants to finish in the top three in the Central Valley Conference this year.

“We are just trying to approach preseason really hungry,” Andrade said. “Especially with preseason games being some of the better schools. We’re trying to take advantage of that competition…so that once we get into the league, we set the standards.”

The Celts have already played three nonleague contests. McNary lost 0-3 to Hillsboro’s Glencoe, beat Hillsboro High School 2-1, and lost 1-6 to Silverton.

The program has 40 girls this year, with a varsity and junior varsity roster. Andrade said the varsity roster is rife with underclassmen. The team’s youthfulness comes with pros and cons.

“Obviously, it’s a great year to build,” she said, “but we are still trying to figure out roles and leadership and team chemistry.”

The Celtics are energized, she said. Although returning players carry disappointment from last season, Andrade said they’ve stepped into leadership roles.

Bella Garcia, a sophomore and team captain, wants to elevate the team’s intensity.

“I was hoping to bring one, motivation, and two, more leadership to the game,” Garcia said. “Not just playing for our parents or playing for fun, but actually working as a team.”

She encourages players to jog on and off the field during water breaks. Those simple initiatives, she said, can translate into grit and drive during games.

Andrade also cut the second junior varsity roster this season to inspire competitiveness.

“Last year, I didn’t cut anybody, and it was because it was my first year as a coach. With that being said, I recognized that maybe we gave them too much opportunity. Some didn’t take it too seriously. So we dimmed it down to two teams this year…we set the bar high, not just as athletes but in student expectations,” she said.

Andrade, also McNary’s campus safety specialist, will have the girls do 100-yard sprints for each class tardy.

On the field, she said the team lacks aggressive scorers. She’s adjusting the lineup in games and scrimmages to try to fill that gap.

Against Silverton, who last year went 14-1-1, Andrade went into the game without expectations. Although the Celts lost 1-6 on Thursday, Sept. 11, she said that McNary’s main goal was honing skills.

The Celts will start league play at home against Sprague on Friday, Sept. 26. The Olympians claimed the district trophy last season and beat McKay 5-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 9.

At the state level, Jesuit, the returning state champions, are expected to lead. Other challengers include Grant, Beaverton, and Lakeridge.

Here’s the Celts varsity lineup this season:

Seniors: 

Yahaira Olivarez

Scarlet McKenna

Keely Melvin

Abigail Edwards

Avery Caston

Bianca Alvarez-Perez

Maddi McLain

Juniors:

Adelyn Sparks

Sayje Castronovo

Nessa Olson

Kirana Schaadt

Alisi Uta’Atu

Sophomores: 

Bella Garcia

Sophia Schlag

Claire Gillis

Iyana Contreras

Gaby Flores

Lexi Duenas

Freshmen:

Kaia BranchCitlali Perez

News tip? Contact reporter Riley Ellis: [email protected]

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