The Norse are tying up the laces and checking their shin guards as Suttons Bay looks to strike in 2024.
“I am always excited just to get back together with the girls. It’s just fun. We have a good time. Lots of laughs, lots of tears, lots of hard work, and hopefully lots of joys too,” Suttons Bay coach Randy U’Ren said.
Suttons Bay is eager to get back on the field again as they battled Leland, yesterday as of press time.
Suttons Bay and Lake Leelanau St. Mary competes together as a cooperative team.
“It’s time to play. They haven’t had any chance to be out on a full field. It’s the early season and it’s just about getting them back out, playing it, and then trying to develop from there.”
Suttons Bay will field 15 players to field a varsity squad.
Suttons Bay will rely upon seniors Lauren Lint, Keely TwoCrow, and St. Mary’s Amanda Tarsa, Elena Grant, and Sarah Bunek.
“I feel like we have a good team. I feel like our team, we are all good friends and I feel like it’s just gonna be really fun,” Lint said and TwoCrow added. “I’m making the best out of it. I’m excited to play with the team. I like the new freshman up and I think it’s gonna be a great season.”
Tarsa earned a spot on the Dream Team for the Norse in 2023 for her excellent defensive play. She even scored twice from her defensive position.
“We do have really good chemistry on our team already. Starting the season and after playing for 10 years, I’m excited because you got all the skills that you gained from all those years … see how good you could do this year and since it’s my last year … Just give it your all and just take it,” Tarsa said.
The Norse will have to replace graduate Dani U’Ren who was a defensive standout. Dani’s younger sister, Megan U’Ren, will be looking to blossom on the offensive end as she tallied 11 goals and three assists during the 2023 campaign. Lint will be relied upon heavily as she was the team’s second-leading scorer last season.
The connection between Suttons Bay and St. Mary is strong.
“You’d expect us to be distant and not able to connect, but we’re all very nice to each other and we’re all open to each other,” Lint said. “We all have our own skill sets and we all accept that in each other. I feel like we all work well because we have good trust.”
Coach U’Ren compliments the commitment of both Suttons Bay and St. Mary players for their camaraderie.
“The girls over the years, they’ve bought into this is our soccer team. It doesn’t matter what the school name says, this is our group and they all fight for each other. They might have fought against each other on the basketball court or other things and then they get out here and they get to combine those skills. It’s been fun over the years to see that,” he said.
The Norse travel to Carson City on Friday night for team bonding before playing in an invitational on Saturday and travelingtoBenzieonApril8at 5p.m.
