Overmatched in Opener

It was a rookie coach and her young team opening their season by hosting a strong Mason Academy team on Thursday, November 9, and the outcome was predictable. The Rays suffered a 6-2 loss, but Rays coach Jax Wantlin, coaching her first game as head coach, sees a bright future for her team.

“It's definitely a tough game to go against this Mason Classical team,” said Jax Wantlin after the game. "They're good. They have some players that are very excellent with their skills, but I think it's good to learn from this because it was a hard game. We got to see what our weaknesses are and what we can work on - definitely defense and attacking. So it was good and bad. You get those games so you just have to learn from them.”

While Wantlin’s 22-player roster has some solid experience, there is a lot of inexperience in the ranks. 

“Player wise,” Wantlin said, "I would say we have like half and half, half of our players have experience, half of our players are first- and second-year players."

Wantlin said that the mix presents challenges.

“It's a little bit difficult to train,” Wantlin said. "You're kind of starting with the basics, trying to get the inexperienced players to the others' level.”

Naia Lendrihas scored the first goal of the season for the Rays. Lily Tessartik’s goal pulled the Rays to within 4-2 and seemed to spark the team, but the Rays were not able to overcome the Paladins.

"It was a learning experience,” Wantlin said. "We're all still learning. First-year head coach and first year with this team. So it's something you learn from. But we have a lot of things to take into practice. I think it'll be beneficial."

Wantlin may be a new head coach, but she has a strong resume as a player. She was a two-year captain in college and a three-time defensive player of the year in high school.

"Before this,” Wantlin said, "I played all my life. I played in college at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, so I know a lot about soccer. I grew up doing it. Coaching is a little different than playing. Learning how to do it is a little difficult, but it’s also easy because it's just doing what I would do in a game and you're just putting it into play with all these girls. We're going to do great. We're doing drills that help lead to success.”

MIA traveled to The Village School of Naples on Monday, November 13, after the Coastal Breeze News deadline. They head to Southwest Florida Christian on Thursday, November 16.