Panther Creek girls soccer, sophomore Emily Moxley, have high hopes

At the top of the formation for Panther Creek’s girls soccer team is super sophomore Emily Moxley, who is off to a torrid start to the year for the Catamounts.

Panther Creek (6-2, 5-2 Southwest Wake 4A) has lost just twice this year – 3-2 to undefeated Green Hope and 2-1 to last year’s 4A runner-up Middle Creek.

First-year head coach Greg Potter, who was at Red Springs last year, has been impressed with how savvy the forward plays for her second year of high school.

“She’s game-smart. She’s got it upstairs,” Potter said. “She’s very quick, she’s got a knack to score goals, but most of all she’s very coachable and knowledgeable about the game. Every week she’s getting better at distributing and setting up her teammates.”

Moxley has 10 goals through six games this season. She uses her quick pace and high work rate to constantly try to get open throughout the game.

“It opens up space for me and I can make runs behind and get crosses in if we play the diagonal ball,” Moxley said.

Moxley’s goal for the year has nothing to do with scoring more. She wants to see the team to return to state title game, where it was runner-up in 2014 and 4A champs in 2015.

Senior leader Meredith Hamby, the Catamounts’ catalyst in the midfield, started on both of those teams.

“The group I have is tremendous, they’re a great bunch of girls,” Potter said. “The sky’s the limit with these girls as long as they can keep their heads up.”

This story was originally published March 28, 2017 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Panther Creek girls soccer, sophomore Emily Moxley, have high hopes."