Bischoff led Northwestern from backfield

Warriors’ 18-2 season included 9 shutouts on way to a division title.

Bill Lackey Northwestern High School's Lauren Bischoff is the Springfield News-Sun Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Staff photo by Bill Lackey

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By David Jablonski, Staff Writer 11:59 PM Friday, November 18, 2011

SPRINGFIELD — From back-to-back 10-win seasons in her first two years to record-breaking seasons of 16 and 18 victories in her last two seasons, it was quite a ride for Lauren Bischoff. The most important player on the best team in the area is again the News-Sun Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

“We’ve come a long way since I started high school,” Bischoff said. “We beat the school record for most wins in a season after we tied the record last year, so that’s pretty exciting.”

The senior led from the back, anchoring a defense that had nine shutouts. The Warriors finished 18-2, including 11-0 in the Central Buckeye Conference for another Mad River Division title.

Northwestern Coach Vicki Packard-Cooper knows she will be a tough player to replace.

“Lauren has a knowledge of the game,” Packard-Cooper said. “She’s a coach on the field. She plays behind everyone and sees the big picture. She doesn’t react emotionally. She’s very controlled.

“So often you put somebody back there, and they whack the ball. Lauren has ball skills and confidence that makes her more effective than the typical high school sweeper. She’ll take a touch and then pull her head up.”

The Warriors took pride in being a team-first unit.

“It wasn’t all about one player,” Bischoff said. “It wasn’t ‘get the ball to one player.’ It didn’t matter who we got it to. We all contributed.”

Bischoff has committed to play college soccer at Wittenberg. She was recruited by former coach Norm Riker and then by his successor Kwame Lloyd.

“At first I was like, ‘Wittenberg is too close,’ ” Bischoff said. “But I’m a homebody, so Wittenberg was a good choice for me. It’s five minutes away from home.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0351 or djablonski@coxohio.com.

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