Farmersville senior Morgan Cobb (3) was one of the team leaders in assists last season. Cobb already has four assists this season. File photo
By David Wolman
As the Farmersville girls soccer team prepared for the start of this season, the Lady Farmers had to do it without second-year head coach Krystal Mikeska. Mikeska has been on maternity leave as she and her husband, Kevin, assistant head football coach/quarterbacks coach at Plano East, welcome their second child. But she is expected to return to her coaching duties next week.
In the interim, Mikeska has gotten plenty of help along the way from her coaching staff, including from one of the team’s newest additions.
Former McKinney head coach Rebecca Christ, who is in her 14th year of coaching and has more than 100 career wins, is now patrolling the sideline as an assistant coach for Farmersville.
Christ and the other members of the Lady Farmers’ coaching staff helped to guide Farmersville to two scrimmage wins in December – a 3-0 blanking of Crandall and a 6-0 rout of Greenville – and a 6-0 win over Melissa’s junior varsity team last week at the Community Tournament to kick off the regular season.
“We have even more knowledge on our coaching staff, which has helped out tremendously while I’ve been out on maternity leave,” Mikeska said. “I feel like having two head coaches on our staff is really helpful, and we feel like that we’ve accomplished a lot, whether its’s in strength or skills or knowledge of the game. She brings all of that knowledge of having navigated the soccer world.”
Farmersville is coming off its best season in program history and Mikeska is hopeful that is the start of big things to come. The Lady Farmers accumulated the most number of district wins in the eight years that Farmersville has had a girls’ soccer team and they scored the most goals in a season while allowing the fewest. In addition, Mikeska, who came over to Farmersville after a stint as Garland’s head coach, earned her 100th coaching win last year.
In what was a year of many firsts for Farmersville, junior Natalie Taylor, an attacking center midfielder, became the first player to win a district superlative. Taylor was tabbed the District 11-4A newcomer of the year after she scored 26 goals, nine assists and had four hat tricks. She already has six goals and two assists through five games, counting both scrimmages and regular-season games.
“She can play anywhere for us,” Mikeska said. “Last year, she played goal in a tournament for us. She’s played defense. Her main spot is attacking mid center.”
Many of Taylor’s goals were set up by senior midfielder Morgan Cobb, a first-team all-11-4A selection last year.
Junior midfielder/forward Kimberly Cuellar, who was also named to the all-11-4A team last year, provides Farmersville with another offensive threat.
“They’re a dynamic duo,” Mikeska said. “Morgan usually leads the passes to Natalie, and Natalie usually finishes those chances.”
Senior forward Yireida Hernandez, a second-team all-11-4A honoree as a junior who is currently second on the team in scoring with four goals, could be a huge factor offensively for Farmersville.
Junior Kimberly Rodriguez, who was named to the all-11-4A honorable mention team as a sophomore, also returns and she will play both forward and the midfield for the Lady Farmers.
Senior defender Ashlynn Clark is back for Farmersville after missing time with an injury.
Farmersville’s defense has a chance to be even more stingy this season, especially with the addition of Allen transfer Syah Surles.
“She’s a game-changer in our defense,” Mikeska said. “We didn’t get to have her last year because she was a transfer in from Allen. She’s been tremendous so far this preseason, and we’re excited to see what she’s going to do for us moving forward. Now that we have a little more flexibility with Saya, we don’t have to play Morgan as much on defense.”
Mikeska is also excited about the potential of freshman midfielder Aracely Serna and Argentina foreign-exchange student Camila Kozaczuk, who has earned a starting role.
The first home game for Farmersville is set for next Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. against West Mesquite.
“It’s an exciting time here growing from where it used to be and with the low numbers,” Mikeska said. “We have a lot of new traction and interest in the program. We’re excited going forward.”
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