by Ryan Deal ’16

The Warriors are off to an impressive start this season, as they have secured the No. 1 rank in the county thanks to an 8-0 start. The team has dominated the scoreboard, outscoring opponents 41-5.
The offense, led by seniors Gabrielle Yore and Emily Kenul, has put up astonishing numbers game in and game out, recently outscoring Northwood 11-0 in a blow-out on September 25. The defense, led by seniors Christina Ricciuiti and Mollie Russell, has been equally strong, with five shutouts through nine games.

With Sherwood overwhelming the competition, it is hard to find flaws in the team’s play. For Coach Amy Morse, it is all about sustaining the team’s success over the duration of the entire season. “We have had a great start to the season, but we realize it’s going to take a lot of hard work to reach our goal. Our sights are set on the playoffs which means we need to continue to improve every day,” said Morse.

The most impressive of Sherwood’s wins thus far this year was an intensely competitive game on September 27 against Damascus, who Sherwood previously had played in a tough preseason scrimmage. The Warriors led 1-0 at half and Damascus was giving them a dogfight. As the game wore on, however, the Warriors began to break through and play more efficiently and earn the win 5-0.
Coach Morse praised the effort of her team. “The team played with a sense of urgency [against Damascus], which we have seen in glimpses in the last couple games, but it was great to see more of our players play with such a desire to score,” said Morse.

Sherwood faced another tough test this past Tuesday when the Warriors played an 8-1 Clarksburg team that was looking to end Sherwood’s undefeated start. Whether or not they go undefeated in the regular season, Morse believes that her team can make noise in the postseason.

“This team has everything it takes to make it to the state tournament – we have the heart, the intensity and mental toughness to overcome every challenge that is put in front of us,” said Morse.