MERIDIAN

TROJANS

Coach: Andrea Ames

Last year: Finished second in the Class 1A Northwest Conference standings with a league record 6-7-0. ... Ended season after going 0-1 in the Class 1A State Tournament and finished 11-10-0 overall. ... Taylor Lunde and Randi Donahue were All-Whatcom County selections.

Players to watch: Taylor Lunde (jr., M/F); Gladys Galiano (sr., M/F); Trinell Carpenter (sr., D); Karissa Culley (jr., D)

Outlook: Looking for a player capable of coming close to the numbers LC's Coryn Bajema put up last year? Taylor Lunde may be the answer. The junior mid/forward tied for the second most goals (17) and tied for the most assists (12) in the Northwest Conference during her breakout 2011 campaign. Her partner up top, Randi Donahue, has since graduated, but Meridian coach Andrea Ames believes she has some strong pieces in Lexi McKinnon and Gladys Galiano, who will complement Lunde well. Still, no game is won and lost by one player. Trinell Carpenter, Kelsea Clark and Karissa Culley are three defenders Ames is counting on to be leaders along the back line. Though Meridian made the Class 1A State Tournament a year ago, Ames' message is to focus on what this year's team can do. "It's not helpful to have pressure on a team," Ames said in a phone interview. "It's about what we can do now, what we're capable of achieving and how far we are able to push ourselves."

2012 ROSTER

No. Player Yr. Pos.

1 Abbi Rautenberg Sr. GK

2 Kelsea Clark Sr. D

3 Lexi McKinnon So. F

6 Kendra Holmes Jr. M

7 Anna Pimento So. M/F

9 Gladys Galiano Sr. M/F

10 Emily Schwisow So. D/M

11 Janessa Murphy So. M/F

12 Haley Belanger Jr. F

13 Leyla Marino Sr. D

14 Madie Holz So. D/M

15 Taylor Lunde Jr. M/F

16 Mackenzi Briones So. M

17 Trinell Carpenter Sr. D

19 Candace Sturtevant Jr. M

20 Haley Sandberg So. D

22 Karissa Culley Jr. D

2012 SCHEDULE

Sept. 6 at Anacortes 6 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Overlake TBD

Sept. 11 at Lynden (Bender)* 4 p.m.

Sept. 13 Nooksack Valley* 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 18 at Sedro-Woolley* 6 p.m.

Sept. 20 Bellingham* 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 22 at La Conner 1 p.m.

Sept. 25 Squalicum* 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 27 Friday Harbor 4 p.m.

Oct. 2 at Blaine (Pipeline)* 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 4 Anacortes* 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 9 Ferndale* 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 11 at Burlington-Edison* 6 p.m.

Oct. 16 at Lynden Christian* 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 18 Sehome* 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 at Mount Baker* 4:30 p.m.

*NWC game

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