Dixon the Brightest in a Galaxy of Stars

Gabby Dixon gets it.

That’s the word on the street from players and coaches – both with her team and the opposition’s – about the senior captain and leading scorer on the undefeated girls’ soccer team.

Her combination of strength, speed, footwork and an assassin’s finishing touch have led to Dixon netting 20 goals this year, shattering her goal of surpassing the previous high-water mark of 17 that she struck in both her sophomore and junior seasons.

It’s a skill set that will lead her to Division I Drexel University in Philadelphia, where she will join the Dragons women’s soccer team next fall.

But Dixon doesn’t just score goals.

She’s the rare prolific striker who also sets up teammates with equal aplomb, evidenced by her eight assists on the year.

“She’s the first to give credit to her teammates; she doesn’t want to take full responsibility for it,” Bears head coach Gerry Trieschmann said. “She’s the No. 1 person, with a bunch of No. 1’s around her.”

Trieschmann said that Dixon’s prettiest goal this year was actually the assist she had on Caroline Wutka’s game-winner against Suffield, with Granby won 2-1 on Oct. 5.

“[Dixon] was getting beaten up out there,” Trieschmann said. “She’s strong, she’s smart enough to draw people away, and Caroline and her are really starting to make that connection.”

Dixon said when she is on the field and is about to score a goal, the game actually transforms to a Matrix-like scenario.

“When I score, it seems like it’s in slow motion to me,” said Dixon, who said that she abides by certain superstitions, such as listening to the same pre-game music and wearing the same headband in games. “Especially if it’s an important goal like a big header goal, it seems like to completely slow down.”

While scoring goals and personal accolades are nice, Dixon is the first to acknowledge that she has bigger things in mind for her team, including the hope of going undefeated and winning the North Central Connecticut conference title.

“Most of us played on the Rovers together,” Dixon said. “We all were looking forward to our senior year with a view that we thought we would be a really good team. It’s just nice that it actually does come through.”

After defeating NCCC rivals Avon and Suffield, perennial powers at the state Class L and Class M levels respectively, the Bears hit a little bump in the road in drawing with Enfield on Oct. 18. Going into today’s game with Stafford, the Bears are 12-0-1.

“Taking on Avon, it was our test. We set our goals and we weren’t sure we were going to able to meet them,” Dixon said, adding that the 2-1 victory over Suffield was also a huge boost for the Bears. “Sometimes we’re a weak team on turf, so we were nervous playing them on turf, and we tried to practice on turf. We went in there knowing that we could beat them if we played our game. Honestly, it felt like we had won the World Cup.”

While Granby won’t finish the regular season a perfect 16-0, going undefeated, winning the NCCC title and state tournament glory are still very much possible.

“First is league, then winning states is always the goal, but Class M is loaded,” Trieschmann cautioned. “There’s so much out there. We’re one of the top teams in the state, but we’ve got plenty to worry about right now [with the remainder of the regular season].”

If the Bears do win the league title - they still have to play Suffield at home on Oct. 28 - and make some noise in the state tourney, then they will require contributions from other stars in its galaxy besides Dixon, who, if she isn’t the best forward in the state, certainly belongs in the discussion.

Wutka, goalie Ellie McDougall, midfielders Sara Eckhardt, Kailyn Schiffmacher and Michele Guttermuth, among others, are all enjoying sensational years, individually and as a team, something that leaves Trieschmann in a little bit of awe.

“The way they work for one another, the way they pull for one another, it’s absolutely amazing,” Trieschmann said.