By Rick Harvey

RHarvey@CarrollCoNews.com

The Eureka Springs High School soccer teams have plenty of familiar faces back on the field to give first year coach Arron Oliver much optimism heading into the season.

“We feel really good,” Oliver said. “We’re anxious to get out there.”

Both the Highlanders and Lady Highlanders opened their season Tuesday, March 7, at Gentry. Both teams will travel to play Thaden on Thursday, March 9, and the boys team will face Bergman in Harrison on Monday, March 13.

GIRLS

Oliver said the girls’ team is starting to mesh after many players started practicing at the conclusion of basketball season.

“A lot of our girls are multisport athletes,” he said.

That includes junior captain Brandessa Armer, a striker, who also plays volleyball and basketball.

“No offseason for her,” Oliver said of Armer. “She’s been playing sports since August and is just making her way back into soccer right now.”

Other key players this season will be strikers Larrah Leavell and Kaylie Partee on offense and Hannah Kelley, another captain, on defense, Oliver said.

“She’s right in front of the goal and is the captain of the defense,” Oliver said of Kelley. “She helps make sure everyone is in the right spot.”

BOYS

While Eureka Springs’ girls team has had several key players recently involved in basketball, that hasn’t been the case for the Highlanders, who have been practicing for several weeks.

“The boys are really, really anxious to get out there,” Oliver said.

Senior Leo Alpizar and younger brother Jose Alpizar, a junior, are the team captains, the coach said.

“They lead our offense essentially,” Oliver said.

Senior Jayden Urioste, senior Brian Vaquera and junior goalie James Ham will anchor the defense, he said.

“I have never seen a kid run so fast in my life,” Oliver said of Urioste. “He can run a mile in under four minutes. I don’t know how he does it, but he does. He will fly all over that field.

“Brian is a senior and runs the back line of the defense and does a phenomenal job of it and James had a whole lot of saves last year.”

Upperclassmen will be key, Oliver said, with seven juniors and three seniors.

“Our juniors will be the driving force when it comes to the team as a whole, but our seniors are the leaders on the field,” he said. “We feel pretty good about our schedule but we know we will have to show up every single game.”