DC’s Newcom named OT Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year

Daviess County senior Kenlee Newcom has been named The Owensboro Times Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year.

Despite some early frustrations with playing a different position, Newcom adapted to her role as a hybrid midfielder that proved to be a versatile asset for the Lady Panthers.

“I played in a different position than I’m used to playing,” she said. “At the beginning of the year I kept telling myself I wasn’t a midfielder. I would have games where I was frustrated with myself because I was playing midfield. I realize now how the season turned out and what I did for the team. It’s comforting to see how it helped.”

Head coach Dave Sandifer said Newcom had an outstanding season, but it was nothing unexpected.

“She is arguably one of the most athletic girls in our school and has worked very hard to improve her skills to match that,” he said. “She is a ‘do everything’ type of player, so I don’t ask her to focus on scoring or statistics when she is playing. She was able to play where we needed her.”

Newcom finished the year with 20 goals — second-most on the team — and added five assists. She moved into the top five in both in career scoring and in combined points (goals and assists) for the DC girls’ soccer program.

She was also key on the defensive side, part of a stout defense that limited teams to 32 goals total on the season. Newcom said she couldn’t be successful without help from everyone else.

“Our defensive line had an outstanding year,” she said. “They would always tell me what I was doing wrong and where I needed to be, which helped me be successful.”

Sandifer attributed some of the success to Newcom’s effort and her continued improvement.

“Kenlee became a more complete player this year,” he said. “She worked very hard in her high school offseason and had a very successful spring season playing at a high level. She has worked hard every winter to continue to improve her technical skills and she takes great pride in her fitness level and work rate.”

As one of 12 seniors for DC this season, Newcom was one of many leaders setting an example for the younger players. Each senior had different strengths, and Newcom’s was a dedicated work ethic.

“For the most part I feel like I work pretty hard to keep everyone else working hard,” she said. “If you got one person working hard then the rest of the team is going to follow. That’s what I try to do every game — be a leader and set the tone for the rest of my team to do the same thing.”

Newcom has already signed to continue her soccer career at Western Kentucky University, and she’s hoping her skills continue to develop.

“(WKU coach Jason Neidell) says I have hardly reached the surface of the player that I can be, so I am excited about what he is going to do to make me a better player,” Newcom said. “I am going to be working a lot and he is going to be pushing me a lot but I am ready for it.”