Soccer stars sign scholarships
from gulfbreezenews.com

 

Call it Gulf Breeze High's answer to Trent Richardson.

One day after the top rated running back in the country and Escambia High senior signed with Alabama, four members of the Lady Dolphin soccer team signed college scholarships - three of them to Division I schools.

Team captains Alyssa Smith and Aubrey Curington signed with Ole Miss and Mississippi State, respectively; Jesse Vickrey signed with Florida Atlantic and Jessica Majewski with the University of West Florida - last year's Division II national runners up.

"These four girls have contributed tremendously to the Gulf Breeze High School," GBHS coach Sharon Kerby said. "I know without a doubt that their dedication and success in soccer will continue on into their college careers. It's definitely my pleasure to be up here."

The quartet, who have played varsity soccer for four years, have scored 92 goals and dished out 73 assists in Kerby's two years as coach. All four girls have either trained or played at the Pensacola Futbol Club under former GBHS coach Mike Lagow.

"They're not going into something that they don't understand. They know they're going to have to work hard," Lagow said. "I can tell you now they're not going in imagining that they're going to start as freshman. They're not going thinking that everything's going to be laid out in front of them."

Third generation SEC

Curington, who has played defender, midfielder and forward on this year's Lady Dolphin squad, will become a third generation SEC college athlete. Her father Keith played football at Mississippi State in the late 80s, while grandfather Wade ran track at Auburn in the mid 60s.

"(MSU's) very big in the family," said Curington, whose mother Lin is also an MSU graduate. "It's close enough, but in another state, so you can't have surprise visits from the family," she joked. "It's a cool school. It's very compact, everybody knows everybody. But it's big - it's a Division I school. It's big enough to be small."

Curington is one of 10 players to sign with the Lady Bulldogs, who went 5-15 last season.

"I am very pleased with this signing class. We have signed 10 players who can make an immediate impact and provide us some much-needed depth," coach Neil Macdonald said in a press release. "This might be one of the top classes our soccer program has brought in. I'm looking for big things from them."

Curington will major in biomedical engineering at MSU. She's scored 10 goals and dished out seven assists this year and has played in 23 matches.

Second generation

Smith, who wears jersey number 11, is one of 11 members of the Lady Rebels' signing class.

"We lost one of the top classes in program history with last year's seniors, so we know there are big shoes to fill," coach Steve Holeman said in a press release. "This is a group that can come in and make us stronger right away. We think these freshmen will join our returning players to make up another talented team with speed, athleticism and a competitive drive that will help us continue to be successful in the SEC and in the country."

Smith was also a team captain two years ago when the Lady Dolphins advanced to the state title game.

"Alyssa adds size and strength to our team at defensive center mid," Holeman said. "She's a ball-winner who is very composed once she has the ball at her feet. She understands the game and reads the game extremely well. She also has the potential to compete for playing time from day one."

The daughter of Charlie (who played baseball at Auburn in the 80s) and Deanna Smith, is currently ranked ninth in her class academically. She said Ole Miss was the first school that showed interest in her. While schools like FAU, Miami and East Tennessee State were also interested, the school in Oxford was what always stayed in her mind.

"I fell in love with the campus, it's a beautiful campus," Smith said. "It's the SEC, I've always dreamed about playing in the SEC. It's a very competitive level."

Smith, who verbally commited to Ole Miss in January, will major in either chemical or biomechanical engineering. She's scored eight goals and dished out three assists and has played and started in 25 matches this season.

The Lady Rebels went 7-10-3 last season, losing to LSU 1-0 in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.

Reunited with a former

teammate

Vickrey's decision to attend FAU will reunite her with a former PFC teammate in Gabby DeVries, a 2008 Navarre High graduate. Vickrey was one of 10 members of FAU's signing class.

"I wish our season started today," said FAU head women's soccer coach Brian Dooley said in a press release. "Our returning players have established a tremendous attitude this spring and with this class we add starting potential to every line on the field. This class is big, which applies to the physical size and the athletic ability of these student-athletes. All of these players will add to our competitive environment immediately."

The daughter of Bill and Sandy Vickrey said she fell in the love with the campus four years ago when PFC played State Cup there.

"I fell in love with it," Vickrey said. "I told my dad it'd be so cool if I got to play here when I was older. When the coach talked to me, he seemed like he really wanted me. I like the feeling of being wanted. I loved the team, it seemed like I'd fit in."

Vickrey is "dominating striker with the ability to score in multiple ways," according to a press release put out by the school. "(Vickrey is) terrific in the air and her physical play makes her a force in the final third."

Vickrey, who is undecided on her major, says the FAU coaches will look for her to be a center forward or midfielder. "It'll be exciting to see," Vickrey said.

Vickrey has scored 11 goals and dished out 14 assists this season. She has started 24 matches this year and has played in 25.

DeVries started in 16 of 19 matches for FAU, who went 7- 10-2 last season and lost to Denver in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. She scored a goal and dished out four assists.

"They might as well be part of my family," said Lagow of the trio that he's coached for eight years.

"They're all pretty steadfast. They've played at the highest level at the club level. Not just the highest high school level or the highest club level around here, but the highest club level in the country. They've played against teams ranked in the top five in the nation regularly."

Back with two former

teammates

For Majewski, her decision to go to UWF reunites her with two former GBHS teammate - rising senior Kaley Morris and rising sophomore Noelle Robles.

"They've very successful team, everyone knows that," said the daughter of Mike and Carlotta Majewski. "I always like to be on a winning team. It'd be nice if my dad can still come out and watch me. Just seemed like a good school to go to."

While Lagow didn't coach Majewski as long as the others, he wish he had - and who can blame him. The team's leading scorer this year (28 goals, eight assists) scored five of the team's nine goals in the regional semifinals and finals against Navarre and Stanton Prep, respectively.

"Jessica is talented ," Lagow said. "She definitely she's got a unique talent set - scoring goals - which is difficult."

Majewski, who's undecided on a major, joins a team that was ranked as high number two in the country and won 24 straight matches this past season before losing a heartbreaker in double overtime to Seattle Pacific in the Division II national championship game.

Morris was second on the team in minutes played this season ( 2 , 2 1 0 ) , scoring three goals and handing out two assists from her defender spot. Robles played in 20 of the team's 26 matches, averaging about 19 minutes of playing time in those matches.

"They know right now that probably the biggest challenge that they've ever faced is right now," Lagow said. "Because from the moment that high school season ends until they show up, it's their opportunity to decide whether or not they're going to play as a freshman."

"Most programs, freshman aren't typically counted on right away," he said. "They're going to able to play the college game in terms of possession. The challenge for them will be - will they go in in top shape and will they go in mentally ready for things not going their way - like having a bad day, playing a different position, not getting on the travel team the first time the team travels or not being able to start when they think they're doing well. Maybe their coach isn't the coach that recruited them. All those things they go through."

Lagow, who coached the Lady Dolphins to consecutive state titles in 2000 and 2001, said all four would start for those teams. "No doubt about it," he said. "These kids, looking back, I'd match them up with my best players of the past - the Annie Adamses, the Shannon Wings, the Gwendolyn Oxenhams, the Summer Savages, the Monique Mileses."

The GBHS senior quartet has been instrumental in four straight district titles, three regional titles and one state runner up appearance during their high school careers.