Anderson County Lady Mavericks
2024 LADY MAVERICKS SOCCER: Emily Martin, Morgan Haire, Bralee Hall, Olivia Hayes, Ella Day, Jocelyn Amos, Millie Swisher, Olivia Madron, Emily Moser, Makayla Graham, Grace Bratton, Audi Barker, Megan Shock, Kali Valentyne, Bella York, Bristol Rose, Natalie Sellers, Jordan Walker, Makayla Prinkki, Kaylee Shock, Lily Trent, Emma Leander, Ashlynn Sexton, Emma App, Delila Colby, Zoey Rose, Roxana Aguilar, Kaili Villalba, Bria Willis and Anna Gross. The Lady Mavericks are coached by Chris Curtin and assistant Madyson Haire.
“I hope that we could make another run at the state tournament,” Curtin said. “I would like to win that sectional game and finally get to the state.
“We’ve been there before and it seems like we’re always the bridesmaid and never the bride,” he said.
Last season, the Lady Mavericks finished with an overall record of 15-6-1 and posted a perfect 4-0 record in District 4-AA competition.
They also swept through the league’s postseason tournament and won the Region 2-AA tournament with wins over District 3-AA runner-up Carter and district rival Gibbs.
Anderson County defeated the Gibbs Lady Eagles three times on its way to earning the right to host a state sectional match against Bristol’s Tennessee High.
The Bristol Lady Vikings edged ACHS 1-0 in Clinton to end the Lady Mavs’ 2023 campaign and punch their own ticket to the state’s grand girls soccer stage in Chattanooga.
This year, Anderson County began summer workouts with 31 players, including three who return for their final year with the Lady Mavs. The senior class will be led by forward Emma Leander, one of the area’s most versatile and potent weapons.
Midfielder Zoey Rose is also back for her senior campaign and she’ll provide an anchor in the midfield.
Goalkeeper Emily Martin also returns for the Lady Mavericks.
Junior Bralee Hall also returns and is one of six juniors on the squad.
“On defense, we’ll have to fill some holes back there,” Curtin said. “I have six juniors on this year’s team and they all bring some different things to the table, and I’m optimistic that we can win the district.”
ACHS’s district opponents include Gibbs, Scott, Union County, and Clinton, and the Lady Eagles will likely be in the mix, along with the Lady Mavericks, to win the district.
Clinton has a talented roster, but numbers are low for the Lady Dragons, so depth could be a concern for them.
The Lady Highlanders are usually solid, and the Lady Patriots could be a dark horse.
Joining the veteran core of the Lady Mavericks is a talented group of incoming freshmen.
“I have 10 freshmen and some of them could see significant playing time,” Curtin said.
ACHS also has a new sophomore as Bria Willis joins the team after playing volleyball during her freshman year.
The Lady Mavericks open the season on the road as they travel to Powell to play the Lady Panthers on Monday, Aug. 12.
That will be the first match of a busy week for Anderson County.
The Lady Mavs host Kingston in their home opener the following night before closing out the opening week of the 2024 campaign on Aug. 15 at Knoxville Halls.