Hartland Soccer has Swagger

Dedication, hard work and talent, according to Hartland varsity soccer coach Andrew Kartsounes, is what makes this year’s team special. Although if you ask the players, they will tell you it’s their swagger that sets them apart.

In what is shaping up to be a historic season, the girls varsity team (14-2) say they aren’t feeling the pressure of their potential record-breaking season and, for them, it's just another game.

With a big win Tuesday night against big rival Brighton with a score of 1-0, the team was all smiles during Wednesday’s practice, which was status quo, however, according to senior captain Lexie Schmidt.

“The team’s really fun,” she said. “All the games, everyone’s always laughing. It’s a good time.” 

With their current standings putting them in first place in the KLAA division, the Eagles are set to make history by clinching the division title for the first time in school history. With two regular games left in the season, the team will face Milford on Thursday and Howell on Friday. A win against either one of those teams will earn the 2012 team a place in history. 

The plan to make that happen, according to Schmidt, is to "go out with how we’ve been playing the last few games."

With large point spreads during the season against other teams, senior captain Jess Bentley, says part of their success comes from the team’s ability play well with each other and move the ball on the field.

“We’ve had really good chemistry the past few games,” she said. “And I feel like it’s going to be all uphill from here.”

With their final games fast approaching, senior captain Lindsey Scott says her team is staying focused and continuing to work hard to finish reaching their goals.

“We just want it,” Scott said. “We really want it.”