Delanie Hill took the field for her final season of high school soccer having already produced 78 goals and 29 assists in her career.
Nonetheless, the Franklin Community forward never experienced a match like the one she had Aug. 18.
That day, the senior delivered a career-high seven goals to lead the Grizzly Cubs to a 9-0 road victory against Shelbyville.
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Even dating back to her start in soccer at the age of 3, Hill couldn’t recall finding the back of the net that often in a single match.
“It was awesome, but I couldn’t do it without my teammates, obviously,” Hill said. “I just think it was a good game for all of us. We all played pretty well. It was a good way to start the season.”
She is quick to point to younger sister, Emilie, a sophomore midfielder who assisted on three of those goals against the Golden Bears and scored the other two herself.
Or senior goalkeeper Mysia DeWitt, who made four saves to preserve the shutout.
Hill has scored 15 goals this season for Franklin, which lost to Bloomington South 6-0 on Monday. The Grizzly Cubs take a 5-3-2 record into tonight’s Mid-State Conference showdown against visiting Plainfield.
Both the Cubs and Quakers are 3-0 in league play.
Hill already is verbally committed to Marian University, where she will play women’s soccer and study nursing. She has a 3.6 grade-point average at Franklin.
During her prep career, Hill has contributed some rather gaudy totals — namely her 93 goals and 32 assists. One of the contributing factors since the start of the 2015 season is the soccer chemistry she and Emilie have been perfecting for years.
“Emilie knows where I want the ball, so that helps a lot,” Hill said. “Growing up we always practiced with each other, but the past two seasons are the first time we’ve been on the same team. I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”
Emilie Hill is Franklin’s second-leading goal scorer this season with 11; her nine assists are tops among Cubs players.
Meanwhile, Delanie Hill has scored at least one goal in six of the matches Franklin has played this season. She came through with a three-goal performance in Franklin’s 5-1 win against conference foe Decatur Central.
“Delanie’s major asset right now is her technical ability. Just being able to size up an opponent and figuring out how to get around them,” first-year Grizzly Cubs coach David Young said. “She uses her body really well, and she’s very good at using her teammates and working off of them as well.
“Finesse is another asset of hers. She can place a ball pretty much anywhere she needs it to be.”
Once done with soccer season, Hill begins focusing on playing basketball for the Grizzly Cubs.
Another season she hopes is filled with goals scored.
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Name: Delanie Hill
Age: 17
Born: Franklin
Family: Parents, Mike and Angie; sisters, Emilie, 15, and Mollie, 12
Favorite TV show: “Full House”
Favorite food: Macaroni and cheese
Favorite movie: “The Karate Kid”
Favorite athlete: Alex Morgan
Favorite team: Indiana Pacers
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