Home » News » Monday Profile: Peal becomes spark plug for Heritage soccer

Heritage Academy girls soccer needed a spark plug, a jolt of energy, after losing its first match of the 2022 season against Bayou Academy on Aug. 1.

The Patriots, under new head coach Jacob Hunt, needed something to get the positive vibes flowing again and two days later against Magnolia Academy, they got just that in the form of sophomore forward Caroline Peal.

It was Heritage’s first road match of the season, but there was no intimidation from the Patriots as they came out hungry and emphatically shut out the Chiefs, 7-0.

Four of those goals came from Peal, who recorded her first hat trick and four-goal game with Heritage on the same night. That performance quickly set the tone for the Patriots, who won three-straight matches and Peal would score nine goals and bag two assists in that span.

“I feel like I’ve tried to make it more of a positive environment and it’s really helped bring the team together and make it more fun,” Peal said.

She didn’t just have one four-goal game, but two in the same week, with the second one coming just two games later against Starkville Homeschool on Aug. 9.

That positive environment that Peal talked about has benefitted this team in a big way as through the team being more close together, that comradery has translated onto the pitch well.

When teams are as much in chemistry off-field as they are on-field, communication becomes easier and playing together is almost instant.

What a perfect time and place for Peal to benefit off that as one of the major team leaders and catalysts of this team’s success so far, and her teammates have benefitted as much off her as well.

“I think this year, she’s really come into her own,” Heritage Academy head coach Jacob Hunt said. “She’s quick. She’s strong. She’s able to get to the ball, beat people to the ball, body people off the ball. She’s a complete forward.”

Off the field, Peal is a much quieter person, more reserved, but once on the field, she becomes a loud voice, a commanding presence.

Hunt saw her from the other side of the field last season as the head coach at Starkville Academy, a team that the Patriots play often yearly.

While he got a glimpse of what Peal could become as a player in her freshman year, her progression went past even his expectations now in her sophomore year, which has been a great thing as a coach to follow.

“Last year, I don’t think she was as comfortable in her role, but I think this year, she’s really finding herself as that No. 9,” Hunt said.

Through talking with Peal, she’s one who’s a very team-oriented player, a big reason for that push toward a more positive team environment and focus not as much on her, but everyone around her.

This season brought change in the form of Hunt, which has taken players some time to get adjusted to. New coaches being a new brand of soccer and new schemes which not everyone will buy into immediately.

However, as Heritage has continued to find success on the field this season, more and more players are buying in and seeing what can come of it.

Peal is definitely one who bought in earlier, but being a sophomore this season, with more experience under her belt, her confidence has taken her into a new stratosphere of dominance.

“That Magnolia Heights game really helped my confidence grow and with the team,” Peal said. “I feel like I’m so close with all my teammates and the coaches that they really encourage me to be my best.”

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