By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Ask, and ye shall receive. Last season, Bedford North Lawrence needed an offensive injection, and that request was answered when a one-and-done senior exploded – like a lightning bolt from the heavens on a clear day – on the scene and helped resuscitate the program.
This year’s petition? End a conference losing streak. Can lightning strike twice? Don’t stand too close.
The Stars, coming off a six-win campaign that restored some competitive respect and triggered some confidence, return nine veterans with starting experience as they look to continue the upward trend. Winning a Hoosier Hills Conference match, which BNL has not done since 2018 (against Jeffersonville), would be another huge boost.
“Last season gave the returning players confidence for this year, which they didn’t have the last few years,” BNL coach Bret Roberts said. “It opened our eyes to what we can do and the potential we have. We have a good core group, and some freshmen will fill the two spots we lost.”
Last year, BNL got an unexpected addition when Britta Warren decided to play the sport as a senior. All she did was score 17 goals (with three hat tricks) and give the Stars a real breakaway threat during a 6-9-1 campaign.
Who generates the scoring firepower now? That’s the unanswered question.
“I’m in need of someone to step up and be that dominant attacker,” Roberts said. “Britta will be extremely hard to replace, and I don’t expect she will be. The girls will have to work together to make up for that. We don’t have that one person to rely on.”
BNL will shift into a new formation, a 3-3-4 look that moves more people to the front for extra attacking potential. That will open up chances for wing Jayella Filler, for senior stopper Cora Thomas to make long runs in the middle, for Rachael Barr and Jolynn Wilson to add support on the outside.
Roberts will shore up the back line with the move of sophomore Madalyn Mason to goal.
“I hate taking Madalyn off the field,” Roberts said. “But I don’t have another choice at this point.”
The Stars will open the season on Saturday, hosting Silver Creek at 11 a.m.
