Panther soccer led by coaches new and old

MT. PLEASANT - Given the cancellation of the 2020 high school soccer season, it is no surprise there will be some new faces when the Mt. Pleasant soccer teams return to East Lake Park in 2021. The changes won't just be on the field, though, as the sideline will get a makeover as well.

Before the 2020 season began, the Mt. Pleasant girls and boys basketball teams underwent new management. One year later, the head coaching names have switched once again.

Auybriana Johnson will take over as head coach of the Panther girls' team, replacing Scott Stribe, who is serving the country overseas. After a year off, Neil Schmitz is back as the Panther boys' coach, replacing Ryan Chabel, who was never able to coach a game for the maroon and gold.

The Panther girls squeaked out the 2019 SEC title, going 13-5 overall and 6-2 in conference play, one game better than both Fort Madison and Fairfield.

Mt. Pleasant, like most other teams, was an upperclassmen led squad, but the Panther girls will likely be one of the most experienced squads in the area. The Panthers had 10 underclassmen log starts in the 2019 campaign.

Included in that group is Chloe Warner, who made the All-SEC team in 2019, playing mostly in the defense. Anna Ostby had five goals and two assists, and is expected to be the Panthers' leading returner up front.

The Mt. Pleasant boys finished second in the SEC in 2019, going 13-6 overall and 6-2 in conference play. The Panthers were one game behind Fairfield for the top spot in the boys' standings.

The Panther boys had one sophomores make the All-SEC team in 2019, as Avery Scanderidge scored one goal and dished out five assists as a sophomore to make the squad. Scandridge, who started 22 games as a sophomore, is battling a lower-body injury and is not expected to be ready by day one. Nolan Myers and Brody McCall look to help step up and lead the offense in Scandridge's absense.

The Panthers had a total of seven underclassmen who started in 2019. Logan Lee and Dillan Malone lead the returners with 22 and 20 starts respectively.

Malone, Joseph Holtkamp and Hunter Stearns are expected to lead the Panther defense, along with Lee who will repreise his role as starting goalkeeper.