Jackson sophomore to play for national title

Hobbs (left) dribbles down the field during a club soccer game earlier in the summer.

Photo submitted by Brad Hobbs.

While high school girls soccer has ended in the area, incoming Jackson sophomore Lilly Hobbs’ soccer season continues. Hobbs and her club team have earned a bid for the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Wichita, Kansas.

Hobbs recently moved from Claremore High School in Oklahoma before playing for the Jackson High School junior varsity team this spring.

Despite coming off an ACL tear and recovery, the 15-year-old is playing up a year on the 16U Blitz Academy FC 08 Girls Premier club team out of Oklahoma.

The team won the Oklahoma club soccer state championship and earned a national tournament bid by being one of two teams in the regional finals. Hobbs said reaching the national tournament is all a soccer player could ever want.

“Coming back from an injury, it’s not as easy for me to keep up with my team or even stick out in important games because my academy team is full of the best ‘08 players in Oklahoma,” Hobbs said. “I’m glad I’ve made a team and level that some kids only dream about because I remember being that kid. Reaching a national level means I’ve reached closer to the top, now all I have to do is get back to where I was before my injury and get even better.”

Hobbs plays midfielder and helped lead the Jackson JV team to an undefeated season while nursing the injury.

Jackson soccer took a big loss with the departure of longtime head coach Justin McMullen but Hobbs worked a lot with new head coach Caleb Beussink and has big goals for her Jackson career.

“At Jackson, I am hoping to accomplish being on varsity and hopefully winning a state title for my high school team that more than deserves it. Even though I didn't start varsity as a freshman I’m not angry about it, I was coming back from an injury and I wasn't the best version of myself so it was right for me not to play,” Hobbs said. “But this year I've been working and I'm hoping that after coming back from nationals I'm more up to speed and ready to be an asset on the Jackson High School team.”

The US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup begins on Friday when Hobbs and her team will play at 10 a.m. against Hoosier FC 2008G Elite Wolves out of Indiana and the tournament continues until Tuesday.