Athlete of the Week: Bemis leading Sabers to the top

Kelsea Bemis has been a force for the Souhegan High School girls soccer team this season.

In many ways, the Sabers have needed it.

On a team with just four seniors, Bemis has provided the youthful Sabers with steady scoring that helped Souhegan to wins in its first eight games in Division II.

Over the span of three games earlier this season, Bemis scored both goals – including the winner in overtime – in a 2-1 victory over Portsmouth; had two goals and three assists in a win over Nashua South; and dropped a hat trick and had two assists in a win over Con-Val. For her efforts, Bemis was chosen as as nh-highschoolsports.com’s Athlete of the Week.

A soccer player since the tender age of three, Bemis has played on the varsity for Souhegan since her freshman year. While many of the team’s younger players have been on teams together, Bemis is playing with many of them for the first time. At times, that’s been a challenge.

“I think it’s been hard just getting the younger kids filled in on everything and getting them up to speed,” Bemis said. “But their doing a good job, they really work hard and come through.”

A first-time captain, Bemis has also found it different being one of the older players on the team.

“You have to come out to practice and work hard all the time,” she said. “If you’re having a bad day, you need to put that aside and make sure you’re trying hard so everyone else is.”

Bemis also had a first with the overtime goal against the Clippers.

“We got a foul and Shelby Belak took a free kick,” she said. “She sent it over and I went through and got it and took a left-footed shot past the goalie. I think that was probably my first time.”

Despite the hot start, the Sabers are still aware of the work they still need to put in to achieve their goals this season, according to Bemis.

“We definitely need to keep trying hard,” she said. “We definitely need to work hard and as a team and it’s going to take everyone to do well.”