It’s a small sample size, but a dozen goals put into the net last Thursday by the Panorama girls soccer team is kickstarting optimism in the squad’s inaugural season. The Panthers scored all 12 goals in the first half of their shutout victory over the Grand View Christian Thunder in Panora. The Panthers’ program opener ended at halftime due to Iowa’s 10 goal mercy rule in high school soccer. Five players accounted for the scoring with all but one goal scored by a freshman. Freshmen sisters Audrey and Paige Cmelik started their high school soccer careers recording hat tricks with Audrey leading the squad with four goals. First-year high school students Ella Waddle and Deanna Solorzano each tallied a pair of goals apiece while junior Jaelyn Waddle found the back of the net once. Defensively, Panorama was equally as good, holding the Thunder without a shot on goal.

The Raccoon Valley Radio Network was on hand for Panorama’s first ever home soccer games last week and spoke with members of the girl’s team after their convincing win. Co-head coach Curt Thornberry said the game was a long time coming for the community. “We’ve been playing soccer around here for a long time but the first time we’ve had our own (high school) program,” Thornberry said, “If you look at it, this is our first game, and there’s a lot of teams that have already had three games. We were ready to get on the field and play.”

Despite only competing for 40 minutes, Panorama ranks ninth in Class 1A in scoring entering the week with all eight teams in front of them getting at least 238 minutes of on-field time. The Panther girls soccer program will look for their first winning streak in school history tomorrow in a road match against Logan-Magnolia. Listen to an interview with members of the Panorama girls soccer program on the Karl Chevrolet of Stuart Guthrie County PM Sports Page, tonight at 6 p.m. on True Country K 107.9.