SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — As the start of the 2023 season is nearing, the Social Circle Lady Redskins are entering the year unlike any other team before them. 

The Lady Redskins are the defending Class A State Champions — a championship team that head coach Heather Richardson was optimistic about before the season began. 

Richardson’s optimism hasn’t changed a year later. 

“I have the same expectations,” Richardson said. “I wouldn’t change how I felt about them. It’s a young team, but we have good talent that has come in and players that didn’t graduate.” 

The Lady Redskins finished 2022 at 24-1 overall with a Region 8A-Public best 13-1 mark. On the way to the state title, Social Circle downed Drew Charter, Irwin County, Metter, Atlanta Classical Academy and ultimately triumphed over Commerce to win it all. 

Social Circle graduated its offensive and defensive cornerstones in Tess Preston and Rory Stowe. Not to mention midfielders Olivia Cross,  Kaylee Connell and Taylor Wright. 

Despite the significant losses from the class of 2022’s graduation, there are some up and comers set to take charge

Names like Peyton Brooks, Alana Ferguson, Addie Stracner and Faith Young will be mainstays returning from last year for the Lady Redskins. 

Last season, Brooks scored a team-high 72 goals. That included her four goals in Social Circle’s 6-4 overtime win against Commerce in the state title game. 

Ferguson was an offense contributor as well with 17 goals, in spite of her not joining the team until after the basketball season concluded. 

Anchoring the defense will be Young and Stracner as goalkeeper, too. 

Stracner had 44 total saves as a freshman that also featured 10 shutouts. 

The Lady Redskins also welcome a strong freshman class. And, even though they’re coming in fresh to the program, most of the players played club soccer in the fall. 

With the young stars’ ascension and the addition of freshmen, Richardson believed this group can do something special on their own.

“This group has a lot of energy,” Richardson said. “I think it’s because we have so many young players who are excited to be here and be a part of this team. With our older players, we have a lot of expectations there that they want to keep in place from the season before.” 

Social Circle’s season is just around the corner with the first game being Jan. 31. The Lady Redskins will face non-region powerhouses such as Northgate, Walnut Grove and Georgia Military College before their Region 5A-Division I schedule commences. 

Jasper and Oglethorpe Counties along with Prince Avenue make up Social Circle’s new region. It faces Prince Avenue at home on Feb. 23 to kick off region play. 

Nevertheless, Richardson and the players are excited to get the new season underway. Knowing they have a target on their back as Reigning state Champs only fuels their anticipation for another noteworthy season. 

“We probably will have a target on us this year. So, It’s going to take a lot of hard work, discipline, effort and focus that we had last year to make a deep playoff run this year,” Richardson said. “The high expectations we had last year are the same as last year. We have these younger players who look up to the older players that had a fabulous season last year. And they want the same this year.”