Grand Forks soccer preview: Red River enters Gutierrez era focused on development while boasting young core – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks Red River girls soccer coach Brian Gutierrez likes to separate the season into four phases.

Assembling the roster and tryouts are Phase 1. The first time the Roughriders play everyone in the Eastern Dakota Conference is Phase 2. Phase 3 is the second time they play everyone, and the fourth and final phase is the postseason.

Red River is in the early stages of Phase 2 with two games under its belt.

“We’re really just embracing it,” Gutierrez said. “We understand that we’ve got a lot of work to do within ourselves to be the best that we can be. And that’s the focus right now.”

Much of this early process is solidifying the roles on the roster, figuring out rotations and where all the pieces fit.

For Gutierrez, who became head coach this offseason after Jason Heydt stepped down, there are already a few roles that are strongly defined, especially on offense.

Sophomores Reagan and Taylor Hodny are two clear standouts. Taylor is a forward, while Reagan plays midfield.

“They were seventh-graders when I first met them,” Gutierrez said. “From Day 1, they’ve been coachable, they’ve been competitors. As a coach, you have such appreciation for players like that. And it’s the same with that young group as well. And this year, it seems like that competitive, buy-in mentality is contagious among the entire group.”

Sophomore Alexia Giannopoulos is another strong component in the midfield, while freshman Ella Bry can provide help on the attack end as a forward/midfielder. Forward/midfielder Reese Remz brings some upperclassmen experience to the front as a senior.

“I would say the majority of the key offensive players are the same,” Gutierrez said. “You have Reagan and now Alexia in the midfield, which is a threat. And you take Reese Remz and Ella Bry and Taylor Hodny up front, it’s a lot of experience and a lot of dangerous players.”

Not every grouping is so clearly defined. The Riders graduated seven players, including three defenders and a goalkeeper.

Red River has a few options to replace Lexi Schindler in net. Sophomore Kiana Cruz and seventh-grader Finn Anderson have each made strong cases so far.

“Right now, it’s situational, game-based,” Gutierrez said. “Throughout the tryouts, both have expressed strengths that could benefit the program. … It’s starting to bring out the best in each other.”

Freshman Adley Smart and senior Addison Kotrba are a couple of defenders who have bolstered the backline early in the season. Freshman defender/midfielder Makayla Peters and senior defender/midfielder Bria Miller have also contributed.

The Riders finished third at the state tournament last season. Gutierrez isn’t focused on setting big-picture goals for the program, though. Rather, the attention is set on hammering out the rotation and roles, continuing to develop and work through each phase as the year progresses.

“The focus has always been inward, bringing out the best in ourselves, putting our best foot forward,” Gutierrez said. “The only expectation we have about ourselves is effort, and that’s kind of been the key. The key theme for the last two matches is we’re not necessarily thinking expectation, as in expectation to win or expectation to perform. It’s expectation to execute our best work, and that’s the main focus. We think about the group that we have together, and they have the work ethic, the commitment and the competitive drive. It’s just something very exciting to be a part of.”

Red River is 2-0 under Gutierrez so far, boasting wins over Jamestown and West Fargo Sheyenne.

“i feel blessed for the opportunity to lead this group,” Gutierrez said. “It’s a fun group we’ve built for the last two years with me as an assistant, and I’m just honestly excited for the opportunity.”

Coach: Brian Gutierrez.

2025 record: 14-1-2, third place at state tournament.

Key returners: Soph. F Taylor Hodny; soph. MF Reagan Hodny; sr. D Addison Kotrba; sr. F-MF Reese Remz; fr. D Adley Smart; fr. F-MF Ella Bry; soph. MF Alexia Giannopoulos.

Top newcomers: Fr. D-MF Makayla Peters; sr. D-MF Bria Miller; seventh-grader GK Finn Anderson.

Coach Gutierrez says: “The only expectation we have about ourselves is effort. We went to Jamestown, a team we have a lot of respect for who’s been a multi-year state tournament team from the west, with no expectation to win. Obviously, we will put our best foot forward into game planning and trying to win. But the only expectation we have is effort.”

Coach: George DuBois.

2025 record: 9-5-3, fifth place at state tournament.

Key returners: Sr. M Rowan Olmstead; soph. M-F Addison Lamb; soph. M-F Lauren Malott; sr. F Jacie Reardon; sr. GK Hailey Anderson-Tibiatowski.

Elevated roles: Sr. M Natalia Pires; jr. D Kelsie McLaughlin; fr. M Norah Presteng; fr. D Adrianne Kuglin; sr. M Elizabeth Malott; fr. D Tenlee Schuster.

Top newcomers: Seventh-grader D Maggie Hallgren Anderson; seventh-grader M-F Chandler Everson; seventh-grader M Elli Robbins.

Coach DuBois says: “I appreciate the girls’ willingness to train every day with the idea of, let’s get better each day. Let’s learn more about how we can improve. I think they understand that, in particular, we graduated our entire back line, and so having to train new athletes in new positions, the willingness to learn and be coachable, and be vulnerable when you’re learning something new, that’s stuff that they’re all bringing to the table. I couldn’t be happier with the attitudes that they’ve brought.”