Courtesy Photo The 2022 Alpena High girls soccer team includes: back row, left to right: Coach Gregg Supiran, Kami Schultz, Isabelle Kocan, Jenna Leeck, Reese Wisniewski, Anna Woods, and Lilly Domke; middle row: Maggie Kelly, Giulia LaRosa, Allison Borowski, Eve Drageiwicz, Megan Dubie, and Faith Drageiwicz; front row: Faith Henski and Lindsey Rondeau. Read The News’ girls soccer preview on Page 3B.

ALPENA — When the opportunity to coach the Alpena High girls soccer team presented itself, Gregg Supiran jumped at the chance.

“I enjoy it. I don’t know if I thought that I’d be here in this position…but I think earlier on in my career I always thought I’d be a head coach,” Supiran said. “The chance came and I decided to pick it up and go for it.”

In the midst of his first season as Alpena’s coach, Supiran is enjoying himself and likes the potential of his team this spring. He was announced as Alpena’s coach in March and succeeded Tim Storch after serving as an assistant for both Alpena’s boys and girls soccer programs.

Through their first eight games, the Wildcats are 4-4 and have had a mixed bag of results. The Wildcats have won big in some games, but struggled in a few others. Now as the calendar flips to May, Supiran hopes to see his team get back above .500 and play consistently.

Strikers Reese Wisniewski, Kami Schultz and Megan Dubie have been among those responsible for Alpena’s early successes. Schultz has been aggressive up front and Wisniewski and Dubie have kept keepers honest as well.

Wisniewski already has a six-goal game to her credit and Alpena’s ability to spread offense around is something Supiran wants to see more of this season.

“(We have) a lot of potential. It’s been a focus early on in our season, to get the attack going from different avenues and they’ve done a really good job,” he said.

In the midfield, Jenna Leeck and Laurel Alberts have played well and in the backfield, Isabelle Kocan, Eve Drageiwicz, and Faith Drageiwicz have been among Alpena’s defensive standouts. Supiran has also been impressed with Maggie Kelly and Allison Borowski at mid back.

In net, Faith Henski has impressed Supiran with her ability to read the field in front of her and overall knowledge of the game. Lindsey Rondeau will likely see some time in net this season as well.

“She does a great job communicating and she’s always trying to get to the right spot at the right time,” Supiran said of Henski. “She knows the game really well, but I think a big strength for her is understanding the game and knowing where she wants to play.”

Alpena’s remaining schedule includes its annual Sunrise Side Soccer Challenge Cup and a half dozen Big North Conference games, beginning with Traverse City Central today.