2008 Season: 8-11 (6-4 NEMC)

Coach: Jeff Young

Returning Athletes: Ashley Osterland, sr.; Cara Crawford, sr.; Kristi Killackey, sr.; Emily Walker, sr.; Chelsey Clemens, jr.; Melissa Deyarmond, jr.; Monica Middleton, jr.; Amber Rodriguez, jr.; Bailey Gilmore, so.; Chelsea Morris, so.; Emily Keister, so.

New to varsity: Emily Sheltrown, sr.; Erin Powley, so.; Alesha Wood, fr.; Lisa Marshall, fr.; Olivia Robinson, fr.; Breianna Bertossi, fr.

Outlook: The Falcons face the 2009 season with an unusually small roster of just 17 players. The good news is that there shouldn't be any problem with anyone getting enough playing time.

Of course, depth could be an issue, which is why Falcon coach Jeff Young is still doing some recruiting.

"I'm hoping we'll gain a couple more," he says. "(During the Falcons' first game against Gaylord) we had our five seniors on the field for the duration.

"That gets a little tough."

Fortunately for Young and the Falcons, two more enlisted for action after their first game of the year, bumping the roster up from 15.

Four seniors return from a year ago and are providing plenty of leadership. Kristi Killackey scored 18 goals a year ago, including 13 in league play, and Cara Crawford brings her nine goals back to the line up. Both were first-team all-NEMC picks last season. Senior defender Ashley Osterland (another first-teamer) and midfielder Emily Walker (honorable mention) have also been key parts of the Falcon lineup for several seasons.

"The senior core is pushing everyone pretty hard," Young says. "It's unfortunate they're in this situation (with so few players) but they're making the best of it."

Also returning are juniors Chelsey Clemens, Amber Rodrigues, Monica Middleton and Melissa Deyarmond as well as sophomores Bailey Gilmore, Chelsea Morris and Emily Keister.

First-year senior Emily Sheltrown also joins the squad and will be battling with Deyarmond to fill the shoes left by standout goalkeeper Jessica Killinger, who graduated after last season.

"We've also got four freshmen that I really think are going to help us," Young says. "It's going to take some time to get people in the right spots where they can help us the most.

"Glenn and Tawas are going to be awfully tough, but we're going to go after as much as we can get in the league," Young adds. "Right now there's just a lot of inexperience, but by the end of the year we should be a pretty good team."