Leanna Shugarts, who tragically lost her life in an automobile accident in May, would have been a senior this year at Clearfield Area High School and a big part of the Lady Bison soccer team. As a tribute to their fallen teammate, the team has adopted a theme this season and dedicated the season to her.

"Our theme this year is, ‘get your game on,' " Clearfield head coach Jen Wright said. "It's because Leanna was an athlete at Clearfield, but she also liked the outdoors and hunting. So there is a dual meaning. The season is dedicated to her. We are going to have a memorial service for her at one of our home games.

"When we discussed things that we're going to do for the service, there were tears shed. It's hard not to shed tears because she was that big cheerleader on the sidelines, If she was or wasn't on the field, she was cheering her teammates on and pumping them up. She had a love for the game, and she had a love for life. The girls know she is with them. Some of the girls joke around and reminisce about comments she would make and the intensity that she had. She was an intense player. It's a shame that she's not here for her senior year."

While playing the season in honor of Leanna is in the hearts and minds of the Lady Bisons, Clearfield is also working to build on a 2007 season that was tough on them.

"It's a combination of things," Wright said. "Last season not being where we wanted to be in the win-loss-tie column ... records do give an indication of the type of season you had. But I do think that as the season went on, we really improved. And the girls really want to win for Leanna. They want to win as a team, but it's in the back of their mind. They are all very positive."

"I think our team spirit and morale right now is at a high. The girls are getting along well. They played club soccer together this past spring, and I think that has a lot to do with it."

Leadership is another aspect the Lady Bisons are excelling at, according to Wright.

"Abby (Fishbone) is one of our main leaders because she is a returning letterwinner, and she was a captain last year," Wright said. "So she's taken on that leadership role. But the whole senior class, in general, is leading the underclassmen. The juniors are helping out with the leadership as well.

And even the sophomores are helping the freshmen, showing them the ropes with equipment and such. I am basically telling the girls, ‘this is your team, and it's your responsibility to take care of each other and get everyone on target for the season.' "

Also helping with the great attitude of the team is the return of 13 letterwinners, including seniors Fishbone and Melanie Riglin, juniors Lisa Bumbarger, Brandie Centi, Matalica Jarvis, Jessica Maines, Brooke Mohney, Katlyn Reddinger, Jayme Ryan and Janell Zalno and sophomores CG Anderson, Emily Barger and Becca Davis.

"We only lost three seniors, which is a big difference from last year when we only returned three starters," Wright said. "We have our goalie back. Our entire defense is back. We're just missing a couple players that we need to replace.

"And we have some underclassmen pushing the upperclassmen, so there could be some big changes throughout the whole field. Our philosophy is to start the top 11 no matter what, so there are some battles going on for positions."

Centi is back in goal, while freshmen B.J. Bowman and Mia Keener are also training at the position.

Helping Centi on defense are returners Fishbone, Zalno, Barger and Davis. Freshmen Julia Ammerman and Candice Morgan will also see time on defense as well as Bumbarger, who could slide back from her midfield position on occasion.

"I think the unit is strong as a whole," Wright said. "We rarely sub our defense, but this year we are going to have that ability, and I don't think we're going to skip a beat."

In the midfield, Wright will look to letterwinners Bumbarger, Jarvis, Maines, Mohney, Ryan and Reddinger as well as several underclassmen including Ammerman, Morgan and Nichole Powers.

"We have some finishers, and we have some girls that can distribute the ball in the midfield," Wright said. "I'm hoping we can push Brooke Mohney up front at times. We had to keep her back a lot last year to help control the midfield, and we just couldn't get her the ball.

"We had first-year players that had to step on the field as starters last year, but it's a big difference now. They have a year under their belt and their confidence is there, and they know they can play at this level."

Up top, the Lady Bisons will look to Bumbarger, Mohney, Maines, sophomore Katelyn Coder, Bowman, Powers and Keener.

"We can basically put Lisa everywhere on the field, which is a great aspect," Wright said. "We have some flexible players that we can move around on the field. It's going to be a chess game the first couple games to see what combinations on the field work."

With all the returning experience, the great attitudes of the players and a team focused on getting their game on, Wright is quite excited about the season.

"I am very positive about this season," she said. "I was positive last year, too, but I knew it was going to be a growing year, and I just had to be patient. I told them last year that we would have growing pains, but we would be able to build on them, and we have. I think this team is ready to come out strong. They have a winning attitude, and I just hope it stays throughout the season."

Clearfield opens its 2008 campaign Saturday at the Bellefonte Tournament.

Roster

Seniors

Kaitlin Adamson, Marlie Bacher, Alyssa Bell, Brianna English, *Abby Fishbone, Brittney Mayhew, *Melanie Riglin, Shelby Shugarts, Shaina Turner.

Juniors

Samantha Boulton, *Lisa Bumbarger, Taylor Casher, *Brandie Centi, *Matalica Jarvis, *Jessica Maines, *Brooke Mohney, *Katlyn Reddinger, *Jayme Ryan, *Janell Zalno.

Sophomores

*CG Anderson, *Emily Barger, Katelyn Coder, *Becca Davis, Caroline Herres, Hannah Reifer, Chelsea Ogden.

Freshmen

Julia Ammerman, B.J. Bowman, Kristen Butler, Breanna Dale, Briana Ianaro, Mia Keener, Candice Morgan, Melinda Owens, Nichole Powers.

*Denotes returning letterwinners.

Schedule

August

30-at Bellefonte Tournament, 10 a.m.

September

6-Karns City, 1 p.m.; 9-DuBois; 11-at Punxsutawney; 13-at Altoona Lady Lion Classic, 10 a.m.; 15-St. Marys; 16-Altoona; 22-at Hollidaysburg; 24-at State College; 29-at DuBois, 5 p.m.

October

1-Punxsutawney; 7-at St. Marys; 9-at Brookville, 7 p.m.; 14-State College; 20-Hollidaysburg; 22-Bradford.

Matches begin at 4 p.m. unless noted.