BELLINGHAM

RED RAIDERS

Coach: Mark Wright

Last year: Finished fourth in the Class 2A Northwest Conference standings with a league record of 8-5-0. ... Ended season after going 0-2 in the Class 2A District Tournament and finished 8-9-1 overall. ... Larkyn Nelson was an All-Whatcom County selection.

Players to watch: Larkyn Nelson (sr., F); Hannah Jacobus (jr., GK); Jade Thurston (sr., D); Rachel Short-Miller (sr., D); Kate Troutman (sr., F)

Outlook: Team speed is what Red Raiders coach Mark Wright is relying on this season. Bellingham lost a number of key seniors - especially in the middle third and along the back line. Up top is a different story. Bellingham returns 94 percent of its scoring production from a year ago. That includes Larkyn Nelson, who scored 17 goals, Kate Troutman (four goals) and Mary Dyrland (seven). Wright is moving Hattie North to the midfield after she played a defensive role last year. Katie Bauer and Mia Hodges will provide extra help in the middle third, and Jade Thurston and Rachel Short-Miller headline Bellingham's back line. Hannah Jacobus gives the Red Raiders a trusted goal keeper. "We just need to play every game with absolute desperation," Wright said in a phone interview. "We'll use our speed on the outside, win balls and finish. That's kind of our deal."

2012 ROSTER

No. Player Yr. Pos.

1 Hannah Jacobus Jr. GK

2 Larkyn Nelson Sr. F

3 Rachel Short-Miller Sr. D

4 Jade Thurston Sr. D

5 Bri Macri Sr. D

6 Kate Troutman Sr. F

7 Hattie North So. M

8 Sydney Wright So. F

9 Cashel Vincent Jr. M

10 Kelsey Mitchell Jr. D

11 Mia Hodges So. D

12 Lindsey Selnes Jr. D

13 Katie Bauer Jr. M

14 Mary Dyrland Jr. M

15 Haley Nicholes So. M/GK

16 Ashley Burns Jr. D

17 Brooke Baker Fr. M

18 Noelle Isaacson Jr. D

2012 SCHEDULE

Sept. 4 at Marysville-Getchell 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 6 at Ferndale 4 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Sehome (Civic Stadium) 7 p.m.

Sept. 11 Mount Baker (Civic Stadium)* 7 p.m.

Sept. 13 at Lynden (Bender Field)* 4 p.m.

Sept. 18 Lynden Christian (Northwest)* 4 p.m.

Sept. 20 at Meridian* 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 22 Squalicum (WCC) 1 p.m.

Sept. 25 Blaine (Northwest)* 4 p.m.

Sept. 27 at Squalicum (Civic Stadium)* 7 p.m.

Oct. 2 Sehome (Civic Stadium)* 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 at Sedro-Woolley* 6 p.m.

Oct. 9 at Anacortes* 6 p.m.

Oct. 16 Burlington-Edison (Northwest)* 4 p.m.

Oct. 18 at Nooksack Valley* 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 Ferndale (Civic Stadium)* 7:30 p.m.

* NWC game

Reach ANDREW LANG at andrew.lang@bellinghamherald.com or call ext. 862.