A good group of young players gives the Caldwell County Lady Tiger soccer team hopes for a big season.
With some experienced veterans returning as well, Lady Tiger head coach Rhett Miller is looking for the right mix for success in 2025.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do based on the fact that we have young players. And, you know, we’re starting a lot of freshmen and sophomores right off the bat. And so we’ve got a lot to learn. And so we’ve got to get to that place. Well, getting to that place means that we have to learn some new things and different people in different positions.
“So we’re kind of in a rebuilding phase, but at the same time we know we have good players. So that’s a good start.”
Caldwell averaged just over three goals a game last year while going 8-9. To see more wins this season, Miller said the team needs more offense.
“You know, for years we have not done a good job as coach as far as getting us to score goals. So we have to get to a place where we have a strong offense.”
And more offense means less stress on the defense.
“The best defense is don’t play any,” said Miller. “So when we play a lot of offense, then we’re a whole lot better shaped. So we’ve got to get to a place where we’re scoring goals. And I think that we will have a much more successful goal-scoring season this year.”
Miller has made a couple of lineup adjustments that he thinks will make a big difference this season.
“We’ll just start off with probably the number one biggest change that I think is going to help this team, and that is that we’ve moved Addie Middleton to center back.”
Middleton was second on the team last year with 10 goals, so she takes on a totally new challenge this year.
“Addie brings so much physically to the game. She’s so fast. She’s so strong. She attacks the ball so hard that it makes it very difficult for people to get around her. I think that one thing is going to change our defense drastically.
“But she has a lot to learn. She’s never played that position. So she has a lot of things that she’s got to learn as far as how to play defense. She’s got to really buy into that position. But, her taking that position could make her an all-district and all-regional player in one change, just because of the element of athleticism that she has. So that’s a good start.”
Sophomore Emilee Klidzejs moves into a key spot alongside Middleton.
“In our last game, we saw that those two started to work better together in the second half. It’s going to take time,” Miller noted.
Sophomore MaKenzie French also joins the defense on the left side.
“She didn’t have a lot of time last year on the field in varsity,” said Miller. “A lot in JV, but not as much in varsity.”
One of the things that hasn’t changed is junior Jayda Miller at right back.
“Jayda has played that same position for two years and been very, very solid at it. So that’s probably the one huge thing that has not changed.
“Behind all them right now, we have a freshman keeper in Shylee Hinchee that has never played until her eighth grade year last year. And she has — and she knows she has — a lot to figure out.
“Now the plus on that is she’s tall. She’s got long arms. She’s athletic and her reactions are really good. Well, that’s a really good start,” said Miller.
“In front of our defense has been Paisley Hooks and she’s the defensive center mid right now. She’s used to that position. She’s played that quite a bit. So that’s another plus.
“Right now, Nunie Bates is our offensive center mid. She played that a lot last year.
“Out wide on the right is Mariah Vickery. She played that about half the time last year. So she’s still kind of in a learning position, but she knows that position. She played it at middle school.
“On the left is Ziva Falder right now. Ziva is left footed and she’s come in and done very well. She’s probably the one that I wouldn’t have guessed would be starting.”
Hooks, Bates, Vickery and Falder are all sophomores.
Senior Aliya Towns returns up front after leading the team with 12 goals and eight assists last season.
“Aliya Towns has been playing forward for us for a while,” said Miller. “And Kiya Sears is a freshman and she’s playing for us right now. Kiya just started playing forward in middle school season this year. And we found out how successful she’s going to be there.”
Miller added that senior Hannah Teutsch will play a key role off the bench, and could even start for the Lady Tigers.
Caldwell has its work cut out for it in the 7th District, with both Madisonville-North Hopkins and Hopkins County Central expecting to field strong squads.
“The district is as hard as ever,” said Miller. “On paper right now, Hopkins Central is the team to beat. Even more than Madisonville-North.
“Hopkins Central has got like eight seniors this year. Quite a few of those have been starting for the last two or three years. Their assistant coach brought up this group from little league and they played club together. And so they are expecting this to be their season.
“Madisonville-North is going to be tough,” Miller added. “There’s just no doubt about it. Coach (John) Tichenor is just too good of a coach. They’ve got too many good athletes. They’re going to be very hard to beat.
“But you know what? That’s why we have a season, because we see who’s in the front at the end. And with the progress some of these girls are making, I think that we absolutely have a shot to actually win the whole district.”
