By Nathan Reck

Most teams set goals before the season starts, but a number one ranking in area polls followed by a preseason number one ranking by ESPN the rise will set your goals for you. This is exactly what the Cowgirls soccer team found themselves facing as they entered the season preparing to defend their 5A state title.
In terms of being ranked number one the Cowboy’s varsity baseball team knows how a number one ranking puts a microscope on each and every win or loss throughout the season.
“It is a privilege to be thought of so highly,” said head varsity baseball coach Don English. “[The baseball team] embraced our ranking last year and I believe it spurred us to prepare more diligently.”
The Cowgirls initially got the nod for number one due to a roster that returns all but a few of the starters from a year ago that is highlighted by Missouri bound Alyssa Diggs, Spayne Avant, Chioma Ubogagu who is a member of the youth national team. The cowgirls will also be relying on the addition of Katie Bass who sat out last season due to injury and recently committed to SMU. Along with their loaded roster the Cowgirls were set to face a couple of tough opponents early on at the Nolan Showcase.
The Cowgirls came out on the losing end in both of the highlighted games during the tournament with one-point losses to McKinney Boyd 1-2 and Ursuline Academy 2-3.
On the heels of these results Boyd and Ursuline jumped to number two and four in the national rankings respectively, while Coppell saw its ranking slip to eleventh.
Sitting right outside the top ten as the team prepares for district the team is taking a stance of wanting to improve every day and take it one game at a time in order to avoid getting caught looking ahead.
“As an older and more experienced team than last year we are focusing on the little things more to make sure we do not get complacent,” said varsity girls head coach Chris Stricker. “I am a big believer in working hard to improve everyday and we must constantly be working on the team chemistry so the team evolves together.”
The cowgirls realize that as they enter the season they are the team to beat and that every game the other team will be bringing their best effort. They also realize that it isn’t always the team with the most talent that wins the state title, their ultimate goal, but often the team that has the best combination of chemistry, lack of injuries, talent and timing that ends up winning.
“You have to have good players for sure, but it is the team with the best chemistry and the team that peaks at the right time that will get over the hump at the end of the year,” said Stricker. “We want to stay hungry all year and not defend the State Championship but go out and win it again.”