Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – When Laeni Hinkle joined the Solon soccer program last spring head coach Amanda Paulson saw the junior as an athlete.

An athlete with potential.

“She came out as just a straight athlete with a lot to develop,” Paulson said of Hinkle. “Her first touch, her vision on the field has improved exponentially.”

Even after a year playing the sport Hinkle, who is a standout in both basketball and softball, still doesn’t see herself as a soccer player.

“Usually when I don’t understand soccer terms I have my coaches explain it in basketball terms,” Hinkle said. “That happens a lot.”

In Solon’s homer opener on Thursday Hinkle shows she knows more than enough soccer to make a massive impact.

Hinkle snapped a scoreless tie with a goal in the 61^st minute to lift Solon to a 1-0 win over Class 1A fifth-ranked Center Point-Urbana (1-1) on a rain-soaked evening at Spartan Stadium.

“This is big, I think this boosts our confidence a lot,” Hinkle said. “We didn’t know exactly how we were going to be losing a lot of seniors so I think this is definitely a confidence boost.”

Solon (2-0) had plenty of opportunities to take an early lead but couldn’t cash in.

Senior Sofia Ortega and junior Sophia Link each created several offensive opportunities for the Spartans but couldn’t get on the board.

“I think it was just making sure we were staying mentally locked in and focused,” Paulson said. “It was just finding that person that was going to calm us down, reset and have that composure.”

It was Ortega that set up the game winner by Hinkle.
Ortega’s shot from the top of the box glanced off the cross bar and landed right at the feet of Hinkle who put the ball away for her second goal in as many matches.

“I’m not a big soccer player so all I know is just crash and don’t go offsides,” Hinkle said. “It was just there so I kicked it in.”

Hinkle credited Link and Ortega not just for creating offensive opportunities on Thursday but for their leadership on a team filled with relative soccer newcomers like herself.

“They are amazing leaders,” Hinkle said. “They are really good soccer players and they are really patient with all of us who are new to soccer. They are really good leaders.”

Hinkle is part of a large group of basketball players turned soccer starters that have helped the Spartans get off to a 2-0 start.

Paulson has seen growth in those players early in the season.

“You would not believe the amount of basketball terminology I have to use in my practices,” Paulson said. “For my six or seven basketball girls Delainey Durr has been my interpreter, when I say something she will tell the basketball girls what I mean.”

Solon defeated Williamsburg 8-1 in the season opener on Monday will travel to Mount Vernon and West Delaware next week.

“Williamsburg was a good game to get into the season but this is the testing game to propel us into the rest of the season and show us what we are capable of and what we can do,” Paulson said. “Having this win at home, having that confidence is huge.”

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