Mayer leads Person soccer in senior season - The Courier=Times

By AIDAN JENSEN

ajensen@roxboro-courier.com

Rockets’ superstar Abby Mayer has 77 goals in three years at Person.

After the season, Mayer continues her career at North Greenville University, whom she signed with on Nov. 13.

Currently, Mayer is the centerpiece of a Lady Rockets soccer team trying to make state playoffs for the first time in school history.

“Last year, we lost 1-0 and 5-4 to Rockingham County,” said Person first-year head coach Lynn Ward. “If we’d have won those two, then we might have gone to playoffs.”

The Lady Rockets started off the 2019 season with consecutive losses to South Granville (twice), RCS and Community Christian, rebounding to win back-to-back contests against rivals Morehead and Bartlett-Yancey. Person ended the season with a 7-13 overall mark and a 5-9 mark in conference play.

Person starts off the 2020 season cross-town, traveling to RCS on March 3. The Lady Rockets host the Lady Bulldogs on March 27, a game Ward anticipates to be well-attended.

“The drill team is going to come that day,” said Ward. “I’m trying to get the pep band. Northern and Southern Middle Schools will come free.”

Though Person dropped a 4-3 early-season contest to RCS last year, Person typically struggles against its crosstown rival.

“They (Person) were up 3-1 in that game,” said Ward. “The other one, when RCS went to Person to play, no officials showed up. I don’t think our girls have ever beaten RCS.”

According to MaxPreps, the Lady Rockets sport a 2020 roster composed of two seniors (Mayer and Alex Chapman), six juniors (Shantel Reese, Grayson Brann, Peyton Price, Kelli DiMaggio, Jordyn Lynch, and Emma Duncan) and three sophomores (Pyper Lynch, Julie Taylor and Hannah Brann). Ward anticipates several freshmen joining the team.

“For the four years I’ve been involved, we’ve always had a goalie get all-conference,” said Ward. Chapman, a two-time all-conference selection, returns as Person’s starting net-minder in 2020. “She’s one of those people who has no fear. Jordan Lynch, who also plays football, had surgery and should be able to play.”

Ward has big expectations for one of his juniors.

“Kelley DiMaggio, last year, she did OK, but this year, we expect a lot more from her because she’ll be a junior,” said Ward.

One member of the Lady Rockets is an RCS transfer.

“We’re getting Madison Dunkley from the basketball team,” said Ward. “She’s an athlete. She’s the type of player that’ll let us do a 3-1-3-3 formation, where she’ll either be a stopper or cover somebody one-on-one. She’ll be the backup goalie.”

Ward is excited about one freshman’s arrival.

“We have Haley Thomas, who’s going to play year-round. She’s already been to one soccer ID camp, and she wants to play in college.”

In past years, Mayer is the only one who attended ID camps. These camps are opportunities for high school players to be seen by college coaches.

“We have about five that are going to go to the ID camp at Averett in March,” said Ward. “Haley will go, Noellia (Garcia Gonzalez), Alex, Payton Price, Kelli, and maybe Shantel Reese. That’s a step up.”

Ward has several goals for the upcoming season, including a berth in the 3A state playoffs.

“Abby being able to get 100 goals would be cool. Getting more contacts with Division III programs. I want to have more fun. My players want to have fun.”

Ward carries his friendly-but-serious personality into every practice and game.

“I have to talk with them once in a while and say ‘All right, we have to focus more in practice.’ But I think it ought to be interesting. I teach like I coach.”