In 2024, Aledo High School saw solid success from its soccer programs on both the boys and girls sides.
The Bearcats finished with an overall record of 14-4-6 with a 5-3-4 (fourth place) mark in District 5-5A play. Meanwhile, the Ladycats’ 2024 campaign resulted in an overall record of 11-9-3 and a second-place finish in district (6-4-2).
Coincidentally, both the boys and girls recorded a bi-district playoff win followed by an area round exit.
Bearcats
As the teams are just underway for the 2025 season, sharpening skills and cultivating the talents of returning players is paramount for the boys.
“Austin Randriamahefa is a four-year letterman who scored 23 goals and 24 assists last year in 24 games – he is the engine that makes our team run,” Bearcats head coach Derek Vierling said. “He is expecting to commit to a college in the next few weeks. His 2024 season is one of the best we have had at Aledo. He can score with either foot, has great balance and dribbling ability and incredible vision with pinpoint passing.”
Vierling also mentioned other key contributors returning, like Cole Crawford, a senior who scored 17 goals a year ago and also was the football team’s placekicker. Also, junior Brody Gill returns to the team after he scored 19 goals and had 17 assists a season ago.
Vierling described Gill as extremely athletic and one who can dribble through a maze. Also, junior Trapper Davis, who scored 13 goals last year, brings a calm demeanor and hardware as last year’s utility player of the year in the district. Along with a strong group of defenders, Pierce Ling will guard the goal and surrendered an 0.82 average per game.
Vierling and his squad have big aspirations to win the district and make a run at a state championship behind a combination of experience, offensive skill and defensive grit.
“Defensively we have 4-6 guys that played significantly last year so we should be solid defensively. Plus, we have three really good goalkeepers,” Vierling said. “We have had (the motto) ‘Be Champions’ for some time. It encompasses everything – be a champion on and off the field.”
The expectations will not drop in the slightest on the girls’ side as this year’s Ladycat squad is hungry for the same level of success. Led by head coach Bryan Johnson, Aledo will return several quality players from last year’s area-round finalist squad.
Sophomore forward Ally Weimer returns after scoring 28 goals last year as a freshman while seniors Emery Thompson and Reagan Tomlin come back to anchor the defense and serve as team captains.
Johnson praised his seniors’ leadership skills as four-year starters and players who “lead by example on and off the field.” He believes their work ethic and experience will only benefit the rest of his younger roster.
“The strength of this team will be our youth,” Johnson said. “We are a young team that will grow as we play this season – the future is bright here in Aledo.”
While the future looks bright, the present year presents a quality team that could do some damage. With that, Johnson said the team’s main goal for this year is to go undefeated in district play and hoist the league championship trophy – of course, while making a strong playoff run.
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