EHS booters return nine starters; hope to avoid injury bug in 2025
BY CASEY DEVINE
EPHRATA — After an injury-plagued 2024 campaign, coach Gary Klepec and the Ephrata High School girls soccer team are aiming for improvement this fall with a veteran roster that returns all but two starters from a year ago.
Entering his seventh season leading the Lady Tigers, and with decades of experience in the sport, Klepec expressed optimism about his club’s potential.
“I feel like the outlook is good with a lot of returning starting varsity players,” said Klepec. “Last year’s injuries really impacted our season.”
Nine returning starters include seniors Lila Rainey (defensive-midfield) and Delanie Killinger (midfield), both first-team all-Central Washington Athletic Conference selections last season. Junior Brooklynn Sieverkropp (forward) earned second-team all-league honors, while fellow juniors Megan Truscott (defender) and McKinnley Graaff (defender) also return. Sophomores Paige Murray (forward) and Jill Linehan (midfield) round out the group. Murray and Graaff both missed playing time last year due to injuries.
During 2024’s regular season, Ephrata finished mid-pack in CWAC play but played very competitive matches against the top four teams: Ellensburg, Prosser, Selah and East Valley. The Tigers then rolled past Grandview, 4-0, in a district play-in match, but fell to No. 3 Selah in a 1-0 heartbreaker and were eliminated from post-season action.
With an aim to keep players healthy and on the field, EHS athletic trainer and sports medicine teacher Marissa Cox introduced a girls’ summer weightlifting program designed to strengthen muscle groups prone to injury in female athletes. While initial participation numbers were low, Klepec hopes the program will grow over time.
The Tigers’ summer workouts also incorporated twice-weekly practices and a pair of tournaments against regional schools that included a trio of larger Class 4A opponents – Wenatchee, Moses Lake and Eastmont. Ephrata defeated Omak later in the summer to win the title at a five-a-side tourney.
Klepec is emphasizing conditioning as practices get underway this fall, with players combining sprints and mile runs with their skills training. Instilling confidence attacking the net is another early focus – Klepec wants to see his Tigers increase their number of shots on goal compared to last year.
Klepec said improving postseason performance is a top priority and, barring injuries again, feels his team will be in the hunt.
Overall turnout remains uncertain, though. In the past, Klepec typically expected about 50 players, enough to field three teams. Currently, he’s anticipating about three dozen players and possibly only two teams this fall, but hopes the numbers will rise as practices begin next week.
The Tigers open their season on Saturday, Sept. 6, traveling to Leavenworth for a non-league matchup at Cascade High School.
Klepec himself brings decades of experience to both the classroom and the soccer pitch. Raised in Okanogan, he played youth club soccer before his high school offered the sport. He went on to launch boys and girls soccer programs at Quincy High School, then served for 11 years as Ephrata’s junior varsity coach under former head coach Ivan Garay.
As an educator, Klepec’s career includes 25 years with the Ephrata School District – 21 of those teaching kindergarten at Columbia Ridge Elementary – after eight years working in Quincy schools.
