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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

Davie girls soccer has endured its share of pain over the years in the rough-and-tumble Central Piedmont Conference, but second-year coach Corbin Kopetzky sees enough gifted players to make him believe that brighter tomorrows are possible in 2023.

Last year the War Eagles finished 6-9-3 overall and 3-8-1 in the CPC to finish sixth out of seven teams.

They have made the playoffs eight times in 32 years, losing in the first round each time (1994, 1996, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016). Kopetzky would love to make it nine.

“Our goal is to make the playoffs,” he said. “We’re moving the ball very well. They’ve played some indoors, seven on seven and they’re moving the ball a thousand times better than they did day one last year.”

Davie could improve substantially because it returns No. 1 scorer Lexi Kulis, reliable goalie Avery Yount, defender Jaden Sink and a whole lot more.

Sink is a sophomore who was a star the moment she showed up.  “Jaden is just an all-star player,” Kopetzky said. “She plays at a high level. She’s crazy good.”

Kulis, a senior, is coming off a 10-goal season. “She played club ball this year with Mya (McGowan) and Avery because she said she wants to have the best senior year she possibly can. I told her to work on her left foot in the offseason, and she’s shooting it well with both feet. She’s improved a lot. She can have a special year.”

Yount is the senior goalie with a lot of big performances on her resume.

“Her save-to-goal ratio was outstanding last year,” he said. “She put in a lot of work in the offseason. She’s going to work hard and do everything she can. She can put the team on her back. She’s a good one.”

Davie has a nice addition in junior Lauren Colamarino, who was good enough as a sophomore to start at forward and center back for West Forsyth’s CPC championship team.

“I’ll take her,” Kopetzky said with a smile. “I’m going to use her at forward and midfield.”

Seniors Emily Garner and McGowan and freshman Aubrie Pulaski will play major roles.

“Losing (Katie) Shupe (to graduation) hurts,” he said. “There’s a hole in the middle, but I think we’re going to be able to patch it. Emily came up to me and said: ‘Coach, I know you need me on defense, but I want to do what’s best for the team.’ So she’s going to try to merge into that role (that Shupe played). Lauren and my forwards will jump around a lot. I’m trying to mold Aubrie into that position. She’s a keeper primarily, but this year I’m going to get what I can out of her in the field. I think I’ve got the right pieces to replace (Shupe) with Lauren, Aubrie and Emily.

“Mya is going to be big for us. She’s going to hold down that wing. She’s a phenomenal player. For her size, she is very aggressive and can really help us when we play in big-time games.”

Other players to watch: Junior Kimberly Torres and freshman Lanna Robinson. Both are forwards.

“Lanna is legit,” he said. “She is the real deal. I don’t know what Kimberly’s regimen was in the offseason, but she has come back a different player. She said she wants to be more aggressive, and she’s done that at practice. She’s been putting the ball in the back of the net very well. She’s made some crazy strides.”

The roster includes seniors Riley Almond and Bree Hart; juniors Holt Carter, Madison Hayes, Yuli Bustamante and Skylar Link; sophomores Monica Ramirez, Sarah Andrade and Rachel Ramirez; and freshman Fuller Kate Holt. The varsity assistant/JV coach is Collin Ferebee.