Girls Soccer: Fayetteville finished 16-7-1 last spring and advanced all the way to the Class 7A finals, where it dropped a tough 1-0 decision to Bryant in the championship game. Despite losing some valuable seniors from the 2015 team, including Ellie Breden and Falon Hanson, the Lady Bulldogs should feel plenty confident about their chances for a return trip to the finals this season as the roster is full of experience this spring.

Nine seniors dot the roster and coach Joe Thoma will roll out a team that has a strong mix of scoring and defenive ability. Forward Gabbie Foster, midfielders Avery Tubb and Berklie Young — who will both play at the collegiate level — can provide the offensive punch. Goalkeeper Gracie Cape, a junior, has proven herself, and Katie Sykes and Hannah Davis should be strong on the back line.

Boys Soccer: Head coach Steve Oliver has slowly but surely established a culture and expectation of higher success within the Bulldogs’ program. The Fayetteville soccer team has run off a recent string of consecutive state tournament appearances and should expect another trip to the Class 7A tournament this spring.

Many of the players who helped establish the Purple’Dogs program as a contender for the 7A tournament four years ago — when they entered the Fayetteville program as freshman — will now be counted on to carry the team this season. Jon Fagg, Jonathan Delery and Mitchell Dutton are a few names to watch as the top contributors this season as the Bulldogs look to build off a 10-win season from a year ago.