The Newburgh Free Academy girls’ soccer team has been focused primarily on one aspect of its team during the preseason.

Defense.

That’s where the Goldbacks suffered most of their graduation losses.

The offense, however, remains, and Marina Parodo gave the Goldbacks an early hat trick, putting them on course to an 8-0 win over the FDR Presidents.
Parodo finished with four goals. Riley Frederick added two, and they got one each from Julia Leonard and Michelle Prado.

“First of all, it brings everybody’s anxiety down,” Newburgh coach Dave Doulin said. “It gets everybody calm and then it settles in. And then we can focus on the defense from there. It’s always easier playing from ahead.”

Bryanna Foti anchored the Goldbacks’ defense, but now goalkeeper Taryn Judson keeps an eye on her less experienced defenders.

“She’s solid,” Doulin said. “I could hear her talking and giving them encouragement and instruction. She’s got to take charge back there.”

There’s plenty of inexperience back there as Angela Holness and Ingrid Maldonado are the only listed senior defenders on the Goldbacks’ roster. Everyone else is a junior or younger and have only been preparing for the season since Aug. 22.
It’s been a hot preseason so far.

“The first week we worked really hard and dealt with the heat,” Doulin said. “The weather has been tough. It’s been a long week this week but they’re working hard. They’re not complaining. They’re showing up and they’re giving 100 percent every day.”

With one game under the belt, it’s a matter of gaining experience for players who didn’t get as much time on the field while the Goldbacks were making their run to the Section 9 Class AA finals.
“It’s a motivation for them, but they also realize it’s a new season,” Doulin said. “They know they earned it last year, but you’ve got to go and earn it again this year.”