Rebuilding Lady Trojans still have eyes on state tournament

Dyersburg Lady Trojan Head Coach Musa Manneh (right) goes over instructions with the DHS players ahead of jamboree action earlier in the preseason. The Lady Trojans host Henry County at the Dyersburg Soccer Complex on Tuesday evening to open the 2024 regular season.

Photo/Jason Peevyhouse

By JASON PEEVYHOUSE

Sports Editor

The past four years, the Dyersburg Lady Trojans have been one of the two constants in high school girls soccer in Class AA.

Between the Lady Trojans and rival South Gibson, it has been almost a given that the two teams from District 13AA could be penciled in for a trip across the state to the Class AA State Tournament in late October each year.

However, with the loss of five four-year starters, the Lady Trojans are finding themselves in a bit of a rebuild mode entering the 2024 regular season, which kicks off on Tuesday when Dyersburg hosts Henry County at the Dyersburg Soccer Complex.

With a host of new faces on the field as well as on the sideline, Dyersburg Head Coach Musa Manneh said the process of replacing their graduated seniors is ongoing.

“It's not an easy process,” Manneh admitted. “We have a good freshman class coming in.

“But, just like the senior class that just graduated, when they first came in in 2020, they were good but they were young and we had to work with that.”

Manneh said this year's ninth grade class is similar in that way.

“It's a good class but they're young,” the Lady Trojans head coach explained. “You've got to find a way to get them ready for the big games.

“We think we will get there, but it will be a struggle.”

Getting classes like these and others who have come up from the middle school level does speak well of the job the DMS coaches are doing with the program there.

“That's huge,” Manneh said. “When you have a middle school program that you can lean on and get the players from, there's nothing like that.

“It's a great compliment to the coaches down there – both the girls and the boys. They've been helping us a bunch. To think that you have six freshmen that can just come in and start, it makes a difference.”

There are five seniors looking to lead the way for the Lady Trojans this season and, thanks to the current run Dyersburg girls soccer has been on, these players have big game experience.

At the back of the defense is four-year starter McKenzie Duggan at goalkeeper.

“McKenzie is basically the rock of the back (of the defense) because, when you think about it, she's a four-year starter,” Manneh explained. “It makes you not think about the problem of not having a goalie.

“You don't think about it because she's back there. She gives us stability. You don't have any problems because you know McKenzie is going to guard that goal.”

Manneh added Duggan has been a very important player since she stepped on the Dyersburg High School campus.

Fellow senior Avery Coleman is another four-year starter.

“She's very, very experienced,” Manneh said. “She helps the girls just like McKenzie. She helps them with stuff that sometimes even I may overlook or the other coaches may overlook.

“These girls are that important and are very good soccer players, too.”

The Lady Trojan head coach added what the senior duo give to the program at the back of the Dyersburg defense is invaluable.

Another senior is Amariah Akins, who Manneh said does specific jobs for the Lady Trojans during the games.

“She's very physical,” Manneh added. “She's willing to do a lot of hard work for the team at different times and different moments. She's found a way to contribute over the years.”

Manneh said senior Jazmin Romero has made the leftback position her's.

“She's being pushed by a few girls,” the DHS head coach added. “But, she's the veteran and she's very experienced and she's a good soccer player. So, we'll see.”

Rounding out the senior class Taniyah McLin, who joins the team this year.

“She's a very fast learner,” Manneh added. “She's an athlete so we've got to work on her soccer attributes a little bit more. People in her situation don't develop as fast as she has.”

Manneh said all five seniors bring leadership to the Lady Trojan team.

Heading the junior class is three-year starter Kathleen Harrell.

“I call her 'Superstar',” Manneh said of Harrell. “She's plug and play. She can play any position and she knows that.

“Whenever we have trouble anywhere, I say 'Kathleen, you're going there'. She never makes any bones about anything. She's just a good soccer player.”

Fellow juniors Ava Winegardner will also look to help out as a starter as well as sophomore Merideth Zamzow.

The freshman class, as Manneh explained, has plenty of talent and will look to push the older players. Lady Trojan high school rookies like Haddie Manneh, Clara Serquina, Cedeysha Dennis, Olivia Meeks, and Mallory McCaslin have the potential to be starters this season. Manneh added there are even more who can contribute.

Heading into the regular season, the goal for the Lady Trojans remain the same as the previous season.

“The goals don't change,” Manneh stressed. “It's Chattanooga. We want to go to state and definitely want to get over that first round. Win a quarterfinal game and get into the last four.

“But the goals don't change. You've got to get to Chattanooga. That's just the fight we're involved in.”

Dyersburg opens the journey to this goal on Tuesday when the Lady Trojan host Henry County to begin the regular season. Junior varsity action begins at 5 p.m. with varsity following.