Well, no one ever said it was going to be easy.

There’s no way but up after the return to play for a Sedona Red Rock High School girls soccer team that began with the cards stacked against them.

After Thursday’s season opener, which saw the Scorpions host the defending state champion Chino Valley Cougars, a lopsided 9-0 final score was overcome by optimism. Everybody has to start somewhere, and this Sedona team started the year going up against the best.

Among the new faces is the head coach. Diane Kelly, now at the helm of the Scorpions, taking over for longtime coach Juan Carlos Aguilar, who stepped down after his daughter graduated last school year.

Kelly’s task as the new coach is tall. The Sedona girls’ soccer program hasn’t won a game since the 2019-2020 season, when they competed during the winter session. And while the streak continued Thursday, strides were made that can’t be seen on the score sheet. Kelly’s Scorpions looked composed and tactful.

While at times in the past, players sometimes looked like deer in headlights when the ball came their way, this time they accepted the challenge of dribbling through state-champion defenders and embraced it. The Scorpions competed fiercely from the initial kick off, even earning the first corner kick of the game — and nearly converting it into a goal.

After the game, Kelly said the team has worked on “togetherness” during practices thus far. It showed on Thursday.

“We’re really about mind set, togetherness and communicating,” she said. “No matter what happens, you hold your character and you remember what happens on the field stays on the field — we talk about it and move forward.”

Senior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Otterley stayed poised early on as she endured a barrage from the high-powered Chino attack. Three magnificent saves in the game’s opening 10 minutes kept the Scorpions all square with the defending champs through the first 10 minutes. When the Cougars finally broke through for a goal, they poured it on for four more in the first half, but Otterley showed that the Scorpions can rely on surefire goalkeeping throughout the season.

Other veterans like senior midfielder Jillian Grogdin and senior attacker Leah Pedersen kept their units in line with clear leadership qualities and impressive passing.

Despite the circumstances — a daunting opponent and an increasingly
lopsided score — the Scorpions remained tactical. They remained in formation, which was somewhat of an issue a year ago. They made smart runs and kept possession of the ball, something that will improve as confidence grows.

“There were some great triangles, great passes, great defense,” Kelly said. “I saw a lot of positivity and I tried to get everyone in the game to see what everyone can do in a live game, that’s why I subbed a lot.”

While the scheduling gods were unkind to the Scorpions, offering a test like this early on showed something about this team. It’s resilient. Things will get easier for Sedona, which hosts Payson in its next home game on Sept. 20. If they play throughout the year like they did on Thursday, that win-less streak will end soon.

“We’re just building from last year,” Kelly said