Daggs makes nice return after injury for Senators

Josilyn Daggs remembers it well, and that’s not surprising. Serious knee injuries tend to stay in the memory bank.

Daggs was getting ready to kick the ball in a travel ball game in the spring of 2011, and the next moment she had no feeling in her right leg. The non-contact injury forced her to miss the entire 2012 high school soccer and track seasons.

“After I kicked the ball, I felt my knee shifting,” Daggs said. “Once I kicked the ball that’s when I felt it.”

Daggs has come back strong, scoring a team-leading 15 goals in sparking Carson to a 10-2-4 regular-season record heading into Monday’s home playoff opener against Reed at 6 p.m.

“I’m not hesitant out there,” Daggs said. “I feel the knee has gotten stronger. I’m as close to 100 percent as I can get. I don’t feel I’m as fast as I was before the surgery, though, but I can still do the same things.”

That’s to be expected. She is still a force to be reckoned with. She had a team-leading five multi-goal games this year.

“She’s done well,” Carson coach Greg Lehman said before a recent practice. “She’s one of the best players in the north. She’s is fast and can play the ball with either foot. She’s really strong. I haven’t heard her complain about her knee at al this year.”

In fact, Daggs doesn’t play with a brace anymore, a fact she passed on to the University of Idaho coaching staff recently. Daggs is expected to sign with the Vandals sometime this winter.

“They saw me play club ball and e-mailed me,” Daggs said. “They didn’t back off after the injury. They said they saw enough potential to want me to play for them.”

Carson will be without Kiahna Pimental (academic issues) for the playoffs. If Carson makes state, Pimental will be back for that. Daggs said she doesn’t feel any added pressure because of Pimental’s absence.

“She (Kiahna) is a great player,” Daggs said. “We’re lucky to have Lorena (Gomez) to step in.”

“It gives some other players an opportunity to step up,” Lehman said. “We have a whole group of girls that can do that. It’s unfortunate that we’re without Kiahna.”

That group includes Mayra Oliveras, Sammi Gutierrez, Chantel Torres and Karla Reyes should Lehman pull her out of goal and into a field position.

The 2011 injury forced Daggs to miss the Senators’ regional championship win and playing in the state tournament.

“My two goals were to win the state tournament and not lose to Douglas,” Daggs said.

Carson went 0-1-1 against the Tigers in the regular season. If Carson takes care of business on Monday and Wednesday, the Senators get another crack at the Tigers on Nov. 8 at Bishop Manogue. If Carson gets to the regional finals, it would automatically qualify for state. That would be a great way to end a high school career.