By Hayden Swope

McPherson’s Kenna Dale was an honorable mention all-league player last season for the Bullpups, and knows she has a lot riding on this season. Dale spent the whole offseason training and playing in hopes of improving for the spring season.

“I prepared by playing club soccer in the fall with my club team Mid Kansas United, and conditioning,” Dale said. “I wanted to improve my mentality and confidence on the ball.”

After falling short last year, Dale and the Bullpups are looking for a comeback season to head to the state championship.

“A big individual goal of mine is to be more confident on the ball,” Dale said. “A team goal would be to make it as far as possible in state this year. Ours got cut short last year so I know a bunch of my teammates and I are wanting this way more than ever.”

While last season didn’t quite end the way she hoped, Dale still thinks about the wins it took to get the team as far as they did.

“One of my favorite memories would be with my high school team,” Dale said. “It would be last season in the first round of regionals. We played Thomas More Prep and were dominating, so coach put in some of the junior varsity girls and the bench was electric. There was a specific moment from that game when one of our junior varsity girls scored and the bench went crazy. It was so amazing to see and experience.”

Dale plans to continue her education after high school but is undecided as to where.

“I’m undecided on the college I want to go to at the moment,” Dale said. “I have a few options but I hope to get recruited for soccer and get my undergrad in human health sciences or biology and then go to PA school. I’m also really interested in paramedicine.”