Gaylord girls soccer's confidence growing after win over Petoskey

GAYLORD ― Right now, the Gaylord girls soccer team isn't focused on games they've played in the past or accolades possibly coming in the future. The Blue Devils have spent the first month of the season taking each game one at a time, executing their game plan and playing to the best of their abilities. That mindset is what has helped Gaylord (9-1, 6-0 Big North) win 9 of their first 10 games, have an unbeaten league record halfway through the year and, most recently, pushed them to a 3-1 rivalry win over Petoskey (5-2, 5-2 BNC), taking a firm hold over first place in the Big North Conference.

"We have the utmost respect for Petoskey. They're a great team and they're a great program," said coach Chris Adams. "We pay them the same respect as any other team we face, and the girls did really well today coming together as a team.

" Softball Gaylord softball hosts Traverse City St. Francis, top photos AOTW Vote for the Gaylord Herald Times Athlete of the Week, April 20-26 Here are the key takeaways from another key win for GHS: Gaylord uses team effort to counter early PHS push Gaylord has already shown they can win multiple ways; their goal scorers can overwhelm opposing defenses, as they did in three consecutive 8-0 wins over Sault Ste Marie, Houghton and Alpena, or they can lean on their veteran defenders and goalkeeper, as they did in a 1-0 win over Traverse City West. Like most rivalry games, this win took an all-around, full team effort.

Petoskey dominated possession early on, putting Gaylord on their heels in the opening minutes. Many of the GHS and PHS girls play together in the summer, and some of that familiarity made things difficult for Gaylord early on. However, once they settled into the game, the Blue Devils' confidence began to show.