MILFORD-An 18-2 overall record and a second straight Tri-Valley Championship title were great accomplishments last year, but what drives the Milford girls soccer team as they prepare for 2006 is how their 2005 season ended.

"My girls have gone to elite camps and the Headwaters camps, and they always say 'Remember South Kortright,"' said Milford girls soccer coach Lorin Campbell. "That's what has driven them this offseason."

Milford lost to South Kortright in a Section Four Class D semifinal game at Oneonta's Wright National Soccer Campus last November. The loss was especially frustrating as Milford's leading scorer, Maria Arnot, hurt her knee in the second half and had to leave the game.

Arnot, who accumulated an area-best 35 goals and 17 assists as a sophomore, is already the leading scorer in Milford girls soccer history. She and fellow junior Brenna Campbell (27 goals, 20 assists) form a scoring tandem second to none in the area.

"Maria still wears a brace at times but she's been practicing and showing no ill-effects," Lorin Campbell said. "My team is pretty much junior loaded, and we have the potential to do some special things in the next couple of seasons. But we can't get caught looking ahead."

Milford begins the season with a non-league game at Margaretville on Wednesday, Aug. 30, then begin defense of their two-time Tri-Valley division title with a home game against Laurens.

Campbell said Worcester, which handed the Lady Wildcats its only other loss last season, and Schenevus, will likely give his team the most challenge in the T-V East. Milford hosts Worcester on Tuesday, Sept. 5 in a big early season game.

"Worcester is a defensive-minded team, and we always have close games," Campbell said. "For whatever reason, Schenevus is never an easy game either."

Milford scored 80 goals in 17 regular season games last year, and Campbell said the offense has the potential to be even better in 2006.

Freshmen Chandler Prouty, a forward and midfielder Jane O'Brien both started last year as a eighth graders, and both attended camp and are much improved, Campbell said. Another midfielder, sophomore Julia Brennan, has also improved her game in the offseason, Campbell added.

Defensively, sweeper Corrine Ketzlick returns for her senior season after a stellar junior year.

"We don't want Corrine to just boom the ball away, we want her to ignite our offense when she gets the ball," Campbell said.

Sophomore Emily Brigham returns in a defensive role, as does junior stopper back Morgan Dutcher. Campbell said Emily Brennan, an eighth grader, has shown a lot of promise on the defensive end as well.

Chynna Pitlock and Rachel Schultes, who both started at times last season, are vying for the starting goalkeeper job..

"It's still too close too call," he said.

Another highlight of the regular season comes on Saturday, Oct. 7, when Milford will host Cooperstown. The Lady Redskins completed an undefeated regular season last year, and advanced all the way to the state Final Four before losing. Like Milford, they have many returning players from last season.

"It's always a big game when we play Cooperstown, and this year's game should be a good one," Campbell said.