Jason Bowen remembers a time when he'd look down the Siloam Springs girls soccer team's bench and ask himself "who the heck to put in the game?"
It's a question he still might be asking this season but for vastly different reasons.
"It's still going to be, 'who the hell to put in the game?' because you've got so many of them that are so good," Bowen said.
For the last several seasons, the Lady Panthers' program has gotten better and better, and with each season Bowen has said the team is the best and the deepest team he's had.
That all came to a climax last season when Siloam Springs won the Class 6A state championship. Now here's the scary part, this year's team could be even better.
When the girls soccer team held its Maroon-Gray game on Feb. 12, Bowen watched two Lady Panthers teams compete against each other and "either one of them could go compete for a state championship."
"We have that much depth and that much talent out there," Bowen said. "It's a great problem to have."
A lot of the talent are new to the program, freshman that haven't gone through the rigors of playing high school soccer but have been active playing club ball either for Siloam Springs Futbol Club, the Arkansas Comets or the Northwest Arkansas Lightning Soccer Club. Some have traveled to play out of state on club teams.
Underclassmen are pushing for playing time, and that's made everything more competitive, especially for the returning players from last year's state title team.
There are familiar faces for sure.
Senior Annika Bos, who signed to play at John Brown University, is a two-time All-State centerback who returns to anchor the Lady Panthers' backline.
Senior Odalys Palacios, who missed the last part of her junior year with a torn ACL, returns in the midfield and has been the Lady Panthers' top goal-scorer since she was a freshman. She scored 13 goals a year ago before missing the last eight games.
Bowen said it will be an adjustment for Palacios to not have to shoulder so much of the load.
"Odalys' first two years had to be the go-to player to score goals," Bowen said. "She's still trying to be that individual. If she'll use the other nine she'll score like she did before."
Senior midfielder Kaylie Lane, who signed with Oklahoma Baptist, also returns and has plenty of experience in her three years.
Juniors forwards Ana Linch and Khenli Harp, junior midfielder Grace Simpson, sophomore forward Mayce Lance and sophomore defender Mackenize Jones all started for last year's state championship team.
Also the Lady Panthers will get back senior Jaci Hoelscher, who scored the game-winning goal in the state semifinals against Russellville, after she completes girls basketball season.
And those are just the returning players.
There are newcomers all across the field that are vying for playing time.
In the goal, sophomore Anna Claire Lewis will take over the goalkeeper duties fulltime after seeing part-time action last year before giving way down the stretch to senior Bailei Brown. Freshman Caroline Dinger will back up Lewis in the goal.
Protecting Lewis will be the four-man backline led by Bos, Jones, and freshmen Megan Hutto and Brooklyn Buckminster. Bowen said sophomore Abigail Cole, freshman Maggie Hubbard, sophomore Meghan Kennedy and freshman Kassandra Diaz also could play some in the back.
"Brooklyn is solid back there," Bowen said. "She may be the fastest player on the team. Having that speed back there at center back, her and Annika will be a tough defense."
Lane will play a holding midfielder position for the Lady Panthers, while Palacios and freshman Audrey Maxwell will give a more attacking look.
Simpson, an All-State selection in 2014, Hoelscher, freshman Sydney Bomstad and Diaz will also play in the midfield as the Lady Panthers have considerable depth at the position. Simpson had six goals last season, while Lane and Hoelscher each had five goals.
"It's competition," Bowen said. "I can plug anybody in there any day, and I do it all the time. They're having to compete, and they know that."
Up top, Siloam Springs will play three forwards in Linch, Lance and Harp. Lance and Harp each had six goals last year, while Linch had four.
"Mayce Lance is twice the player she was last year," Bowen said. "She's getting better every day."
Juniors Averie Headrick and Laura Gutierrez are also expected to contribute at forward.
But for all the talent and potential on the Lady Panthers' roster, Bowen is quick to remind them that they haven't won a single game yet in 2015.
On March 3 the Lady Panthers open their season against the Harrison Lady Goblins in what is the first game to be played in newly-built Panther Stadium.
It's also a matchup of the defending 5A state champions versus the 6A state champions.
"March 3 we play Harrison," Bowen said. "We're going to find out what we're really made of and go from there."
Sports on 02/25/2015