Soccer Insider: New head coach a familiar face to Arlington Martin girls
Longtime assistant coach Sabina Harrington ascended to the top job at Arlington Martin this season when Ruth Knight retired, and while the nameplate on the office door may have changed, the results remain the same.
Martin (10-3-1) is off to another 5-0 start in District 4-6A, and this senior class, led by Mississippi State signee Natalee Heiser, has lost only two district matches, one last season and one in 2013. The team’s continuity has helped contribute to this year’s success.
“I’ve known these kids since they got here, so I’m not a stranger to them and they’re not a stranger to me,” said Harrington, who has made few changes to the primary workings of the team, except to put a little more emphasis on fitness.
“All my kids play club, so they’re getting their ball touches in the fall and getting their games in,” Harrington said. “My main thing is that I need them to last the whole year. The unfortunate thing about [them playing club] is that they play year-round. I don’t want there to be so much work on them that we’re breaking down.”
What grumblings there might have been about the increased emphasis on fitness have passed.
“They stayed with it and they believed in it,” Harrington said. “At the end of the semester they were saying, ‘Coach I’m glad we stuck with this.’ ”
Martin hosts rival Arlington High at 5 p.m. Friday. The Colts were responsible for the Warriors’ lone district loss in 2013.
Wiser Bearcats
The Aledo boys finished sixth in District 8-5A last season, becoming the first team in the program’s 13-year history to miss the postseason. As expected, it didn’t sit well with the players.
“They really took it personal to be the only team not to go to the playoffs,” Aledo coach Jason Vierling said.
Last year’s Bearcats were also notable for their youth. However, 10 starters returned this season.
“They’ve just grown up a little bit; they’re physically more mature. They got a ton of experience last year,” Vierling explained.
That experience has paid off. Aledo has started the season 10-3 and, they are 5-0 in district. A showdown at Granbury (11-0-3) looms Friday. The Pirates have not lost in regulation this season, with the only loss coming in a shootout against Everman.
Despite the 10 returning starters, the Bearcats only feature three seniors. Two of those — team captains Lane Vidaurri and Dejan Savic — provide Vierling with solid leadership on the field.
“Dejan plays up top and Lane plays in the back, and two of them kind of run the show,” the coach said.
Vidaurri is a three-year starting center back; Savic has seven goals in district play.
“The kids are really believing in themselves. Winning is contagious and everyone is super positive,” Vierling said. “Everybody is really excited about how the season is going so far. We’ve basically buried the streak of 13 years in the playoffs and decided we’re starting a new one this year. So far, so good.”
Unbeaten Bobcats
Trophy Club Nelson’s boys and girls teams have played 22 matches combined this season without a loss.
The girls are 10-0, and the boys are 11-0-1. Both are 5-0 in District 5-6A.
Girls coach Philip Salyer downplays any internal competition between the two teams to see which can remain undefeated longest.
“I don’t think there’s any competition there, but I think both definitely support each other,” Salyer said.
The Nelson boys won a Class 4A state title in 2014 and the girls team is a perennial playoff contender.
“I think we’re definitely fortunate to get talented players,” Salyer said. “But I’d like to think the tradition of the teams that have come before them set a high standard. They really look forward to playing for their high school. I think that helps. They all play club and do different things, but the teams before them have been successful and the expectation is there. I think that helps foster the programs, both of them.”
This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Soccer Insider: New head coach a familiar face to Arlington Martin girls."