Morgan County girls’ soccer team has relied on veteran leadership this season after a 6-1 start to the 2024 season.
Seniors Rylee Bernard, Campbell Stamps, and McKinsey Williams are helping lead the charge for the Lady Dogs. Each has contributed in various ways this season as they are eyeing another region championship this year.
Morgan County head coach Anne Stamps believes these three are vital to the team’s success at the midway point.
“These three have played soccer together since they were in primary school. They know exactly what to say and do to get the best out of each other and the rest of their team,” Stamps said. “They’ve been leaders for this program for four years and haven’t taken that job lightly. There will be some big shoes to fill next year.”
While Stamps thinks those three seniors are the core of this year’s roster, she also pointed out that having many new faces is a weakness, especially because everyone is still getting used to playing with one another.
“One of our weaknesses, right now, is that we have some new faces on the pitch this year and the girls are still getting used to each other,” Stamps explained to the Lake Oconee News. “We are getting better each week and I am looking forward to playing the competitive schedule that we have left over the next few weeks.”
Some of those younger players Stamps mentioned were junior Mia McClain and freshman Chloe McCook.
“New to the team this year is junior Mia McClain, who is playing as a striker this year. She brings speed and a great shot to our attack this year,” Stamps added. “Another new face to keep an eye on for the next few years is freshman midfielder Chloe Cook. Chloe has a great ability to see the field and stay calm under pressure.”
McClain and Cook add depth to Morgan County’s roster behind veterans such as Williams, Bernard, and Stamps. Those five players, as well as a few others, have helped the team sustain success under Stamps’s direction.
Stamps acknowledged that she hasn’t completely ironed out the rotations yet, but hopes to get it figured out soon.
“We’ve learned we have more depth with our substitutes than we thought we were going to have going into the season,” Stamps said. “We are still working on all the combinations of players and how they will best fit this team.”
The Lady Dogs started the season 4-0 with wins over Harlem, Eastside, Salem, and Hephzibah before losing their first region loss to the Academy of Richmond County. They then easily defeated Salem and Hephzibah again heading into an important non-region road matchup against Clarke Central this Thursday.
The loss to ARC was Morgan County’s first since joining Region 4-AAA. It put the Lady Dogs in second place in the region standings but they will have a chance for a rematch against the Lady Musketeers on March 26.
In the loss to ARC, Stamps’ squad couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. The Lady Dogs had 14 shot attempts and missed 13, with three bouncing off the crossbar. They hope to fix those mistakes the next time out.
Stamps knows her team knows what is on the line the next time it faces ARC. She feels the leadership from Bernard, her daughter Campbell, and Williams will help the Lady Dogs prevail and capture another region title.
“We have a lot more soccer to play,” Stamps said. “I know the next few weeks will be exciting to watch for our fans”