The Great Bend High School girls’ soccer team will look to improve on last season’s 5-10-2 record, starting today.
The Lady Panthers are scheduled to compete in a season-opening first-round Wichita South Titan Classic game against Haysville at 4 p.m. The tournament was originally scheduled to start on Monday, but was postponed due to inclement weather.
Great Bend head coach Gus Prieto said he expects his team to be ready.
“You never know, but we have a month of practice,” Gus Prieto said. “They look good.”
Prieto has fewer athletes out for the team this season.
“We have 29 players (out), which is seven less than last year,” Gus Prieto said. “We have a lot of freshman, but they have skills. We’re trying to find the right position for them, but they have skills.”
After graduating six seniors, including three All-Western Athletic Conference players, the Lady Panthers will be getting back a pair of starting forwards from last year.
“This year we have Kenzie (Sinclair), she’s a senior forward,” Gus Prieto said. “We have Summer Bates. She’s back. She was injured last year. We have another senior. She moved here from California. She’s good, Carol Aragones. She plays center midfielder.”
Bates was one of several Great Bend players to suffer an injury last year. Her season ended early with a knee injury.
For the rest of the team, their season ended in a first-round game of the Class 5A regional tournament. They fell 2-0 against Winfield.
Senior Karina Galvan will be moving from a center midfielder to a center defender this season to give the backfield a little more experience.
“She played as a defender last year, too,” Gus Prieto said. “Now, she going to be one of my stronger defenders. She’s played four years.
“We need somebody with experience, and she can control the other defenders.”
As a goalkeeper, the Lady Panthers have sophomore Maleigha Prieto, who went out for softball last season.
“This is her first year playing, but she’s doing a good job,” Gus Prieto said. “She’s got good hands. She’s tall. She’s strong. I don’t know about the first game, but she needs to be there. She’ll get experience.”

Great Bend High School
2013 Soccer Schedule

Varsity/Junior Varsity

Mar 27-Mar 30    Wichita S Titan Classic    A        TBA
April 2                Liberal                          H     4 p.m.
April 4                Garden City                  A     4 p.m.
April 8                Dodge City                   A     4 p.m.
April 9                Hays                            H     4 p.m.
April 11              Liberal                          A     4 p.m.
April 16              Garden City                  H     4 p.m.
April 22              Hays                            A     4 p.m.
April 25              Dodge City                   H     4 p.m.
April 26              Salina South                 A     5 p.m.
April 29              TMP                             H     4 p.m.
April 30              Wichita SE                    A     4 p.m.
May 7                McPherson                    H     4 p.m.
May 9                Junction City                 A     5 p.m.
May 13,14,18     Regional                                 TBA
May 21              State Quarterfinals                  TBA
May 24-25         State Semifinals/Finals             TBA