BY JUSTIN THOMPSON (’17)

The Blue Ace boys’ soccer program enters the season with high expectations. This year’s squad is senior heavy and has the experience to compete for another LCL title. Wyatt Caravana is one of the nine seniors on this year’s team and he is thrilled about the team’s new look.

“We have four new jerseys this year and they’re all pretty cool. Our white jersey is collared and looks really professional,” said Caravana.

The team also has fresh face; Andy Male joins the staff this year as head JV coach. The season kicks off against Northridge on the 25^th and the first home game is on the 27^th against Bishop Watterson. The Watterson game holds playoff implications for the Aces and will be one of the most important home games of the season.

This year’s girls’ soccer program looks to build on one of the most successful seasons in recent memory. Despite graduating some valuable players, underclassmen are eager and more than ready to step up into bigger roles. Senior Reilly Welles is excited about the upcoming season.

“This group works well together because we’ve been playing together for quite some time,” said Welles.

Expectations remain high for the squad as they approach a key game against Gahanna Lincoln on the 25th.

The beginning of the school year means the renewal of a great Granville tradition. Football season kicks off on the 26th against Sheridan and, as usual, expectations are high. Coach Wait will again lead the team into battle but he will be joined by some fresh faces. Coach Hensley is the new offensive coordinator and Coach Wolfe is the defensive coordinator. Senior wide receiver Jake Peterson is eager for the season to start.

“Johnstown looks to be a huge game,” said Peterson. “Sheridan is the game that we’ve been preparing for all summer. Licking Valley also looks to be a huge game, we lost to them last year and we’re out for redemption.”

Sophomore running back Brandon Haley will be expected to carry the brunt of the workload in the backfield.

“He’s going to have a really good year; he has a tremendous amount of responsibility but he’s a solid player” said Peterson.

The boys golf team began their season on August 4th and are off to a strong start. Their best finish so far in a tournament is fourth place. Fourth year senior Luke Stewart is confident about this year’s team.

“We have a tight knit group of guys who just love playing the game” said Stewart. “Coach Bright is a well-researched coach who is smart about maximizing the time we spend practicing.” Stewart himself agrees that the mental toughness is the defining trait in a good golfer. “Sometimes I play a little too risky. I need to learn where to pick my spots to get aggressive and when to lay back and play conservative,” said Stewart.

Upcoming LCL tournaments look to be the biggest competitions for this year’s team.

The Blue Ace cheerleading squad has been putting in long hours during the summer to prepare for the fall. Two new juniors, Lexi Marelli and Paiten Altemose, joined the team this year and will cheer for varsity. Senior Rachael Shoemaker is eager for the season to start.

“The new juniors and the freshman have meshed so well with the returning members” said Shoemaker. “Everyone on the team is super modest and we all get along so well. It makes the experience much more enjoyable.”

The offseason brought with it long hours of practice and some fun team building activities. The team traveled to Indian Bear Lodge in Walhonding for a few relaxing days to unwind and enjoy some swimming and fun in the sun. Rachael is one of four seniors on the team, the others being Riley Davis, Ashlyn Brockway, and Marissa Sicilian.

The field hockey team looks to have a successful season led by eight senior returning players. Senior Madison Koester is excited to see what the season has in store.

“The underclassmen on our team have fit right into our system. There’s so much teamwork involved that there really isn’t any room for drama within the team,” said Koester.

Head coach Bobbi Seidell will work with assistant coach Tara Parsley to develop this year’s team. One key game on the schedule is when the girls face off against last year’s state champions, Columbus Academy.

The girl’s tennis team has jumped out to a fast start this season. This year’s team is senior heavy but not necessarily as experienced as one might think. Two seniors, Katie Choice and Delaney Hill, are first year members of the team. Delaney and Katie are extremely close and wanted a fun activity to do together for their senior year.

“We were both looking for an enjoyable and stress-free way to have fun and learn something new” said Hill.

They both agree that head coach Keith Mullins has been vital to their own personal success as well as that of the program. “He’s super nice and has helped all of us improve,” said Hill.

The girls’ volleyball team is fresh off a thrilling victory against River View. The girls came back from a 12-23 deficit to win the decisive fourth set 25-23. Senior captain Brooklyn Holthaus is thrilled at what this season will bring.

“Everyone contributes so much to the team,” said Holthaus. It’s a close group and we all work so well together.”

Volley for the cure has been replaced this year by a more hands on fundraiser that will work to combat cancer. Todd Parkinson is back for his fourth year at the helm of the program.