Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats
2024 LADY WILDCATS SOCCER: Edie Weston, Lera Lee, Claudia Solis, Sam Mayton, Lilah Kim, Hayven Laurendine, Noel Norstedt , Ayda Branson, Hanna Rose Pelletier, Mollie Massey, Abbey Pressley, Elena Vogt, Estrella Perez Rodriguez , Marleigh Frazier, Hannah Morris, Abigail Steffan, Aubriella Consaul, Kaley Duffle, Lynsee Pennington, Reagan Lukes, Ana Palafox, Fabiola Lozada-Cabrera, Nevaeh Jones, Lydia Bennett, Lex Talamantez, Gabri- ella Jensen, Fabiana Espana and Ella Pavinich. The Lady Wildcats are coached by Trenna Underwood and assistant Ryan Kent.
Underwood, who served as an assistant under former head Coach Donnie Green for the past three seasons, was tapped as the new head coach when Green departed to start the women’s soccer program at Roane State Community College.
In Green’s last season at the helm of the Lady Wildcats, the team went 14-4-1 and returned to the Region 2-AAA tournament, where it lost to three-time defending state champion Bearden.
“I have high expectations,” said Underwood, a 2008 ORHS graduate.
“I would like to win the district championship so we can avoid Bearden in the first round (of the region tournament),” she said.
“We have a new energy and a new excitement.
“We have good offensive players returning,” Underwood said. “They all return, and they’re all pretty strong. The strengths for our team will be our forwards and in the midfield.”
The Lady Wildcats will open their season on Tuesday, Aug. 13, when Oak Ridge hosts Jefferson County.
While Underwood is excited to return to her alma mater, she’s already dealing with adversity. Goalkeeper Marleigh Frazier will likely miss her entire sophomore season after sustaining a knee injury during the offseason. She’ll probably be out at least until November.
“Marleigh’s a game changer for sure,” Underwood said.
Two players are vying to replace Frazier between the goalposts this season.
Sophomore Ellie Collins was Oak Ridge’s junior varsity goalkeeper last season, and she’ll compete with Ayda Brinson, who can also play forward and defender this season.
Top returners for the Wildcats this season include Hayven Laurendine (junior, midfielder), Lilah Kim (junior, forward), Abbey Pressley (junior, defender), Elena Vogt (junior, defender), Edie Weston (junior, moving to forward from midfield), and Rose Pelletier (junior, midfielder).
Other key newcomers, according to Underwood, are Gabby Jensen (sophomore, defender), Ella Pavinich (freshman, forward), and Lynsee Pennington (freshman, midfielder).
“Our biggest thing is getting those two (goalkeepers) ready,” Underwood said.
Oak Ridge played for the District 3-AAA tournament title last year and lost to Knox Central, a team that has a new head coach in Chris Quinn. Quinn is no stranger to Fountain City soccer fans as he had coached the Central boys for the past eight years. He replaced longtime head Coach Bill Mize, who retired after last season.
The Lady Wildcats lost the district championship game in a penalty kicks shootout, and Underwood is hoping that will serve as a motivating force for Oak Ridge this season.
“Central and Powell will probably be our biggest challenges in the district, and losing that championship game to Central in PKs was really a heartbreaker for us,” she said.
Underwood and Quinn are two of four new head coaches in the league in 2024.
Karns and Powell also have new coaches this season.