Soccer ready for play day

Members of the Lady Pioneer soccer team work on their passing skills during a recent afternoon practice. WCHS will play host to four teams for a play day Saturday morning.

With action going on two fields, coach Keith Hamilton?s Warren County squad will take on Livingston Academy, St. Andrews and DeKalb County in three 40-minute scrimmages.

Action begins at 9:30 Saturday morning, with the second game scheduled for 10:40 and the third contest set for an 11:50 start time.

?We?ll be playing a normal 40-minute half, because we want coaches to have a chance to see how their team will do during a regular half,? Hamilton said. ?We went to that format about three years ago, and all the coaches that come in seem to love it. You get to play three different people, and you?re out of there before the day gets too hot and without taking your whole day.?

Hamilton said the play day should feature evenly matched opponents, and should provide an opportunity for his players to step up into first-string roles.

?I?m going to try and get some of the JV players in, as many as I can, so it?ll give us a good look at how well we?ve progressed through the preseason,? he said. ?I?ve told the girls I haven?t made a decision yet as to our final starting lineup, so hopefully we?ll see some players step up on Saturday and show they?re ready to take over that role.?

On Aug. 15, the Lady Pioneers will play a full-game varsity and JV scrimmage at home against Franklin County. They?ll open their season Aug. 22, at Cleveland High School.