If you utter the name "Bonneville" around the East High girls' soccer team, you'd better watch your back.

Them's fightin' words.

The Leopards have lost a mere five games in three years, but three have been season-ending defeats against Bonneville in the Class 4A playoffs.

A 1-0 semifinal loss last year was preceded by a 2-1 quarterfinals defeat in 2009 and a quarterfinals loss in 2008 on penalty kicks.

Ouch.

"Every year, we say we're going to beat them," said senior co-captain LauraAnn Drury. "We've lost to them every time we've seen them. I'm sure we'll get it done some time."

If the Leopards, 16-3 a season ago, get the chance again this season, they will have to get it done without their three leading scorers from 2010, who combined for 36 of the team's 61 goals (59 percent).

East returns junior Madison Roemer (7 goals) as well as starting goalkeeper Alex Noorda, and senior co-captains Audry Gibb (committed to Oregon State), Megan Trabert (committed to the Utah) and Hanna Hard.

"We have a lot of talent still," Drury said. "But I think we are going to have a lot of work ethic. A lot of girls have committed to stay late and we're just going to try to improve, because we know we don't have that many scorers."

Coach Rudy Schenk said he will rely on sophomores Anna Papadopoulos and Janie Kearl to help fill the holes in the starting lineup caused by graduation.

From there, it's a matter of meshing old with new, as each does at the beginning of every season.

"We took a pretty good hit," Schenk said. "Three girls from last year are playing at Division I schools and we graduated several others. Some of my younger girls are going to have to step up this year.

"The challenge we'll have is the inexperience in depth. Hopefully some of the younger girls will realize pretty quickly that the speed of play and physicality ramps up quite a bit from the JV level."

The Leopards open the season Aug. 10 against Skyline — one of six non-region matches on the schedule before they begin their hunt for a fifth consecutive Region 6 title in a revamped and smaller league.

"We have Clearfield in our region now, and I have no idea what to expect from them," Schenk said of Region 6, which also includes newcomer Cyprus, and returners Highland, Woods Cross and Bountiful.

"It's always going to be a challenge with strong teams in there.

"We have high expectations every year. We're kind of the ones with the target on their back. That comes with the success the program has had over 20-some-odd years."

Drury said this year's goal will be no different from those in previous seasons: win a state title, the school's first since 2004.

"It always will be the goal here," Drury said. "Being my last year, I'd love to have a state ring and a state title under my belt.

"My sister [Saralynn] is coaching this year and she never got one. So for her to be a part of it, it would mean a lot to me." —

About East soccer

The Leopards have been bounced from the postseason three consecutive years by Bonneville in Class 4A.

East is seeking its fifth consecutive Region 6 title, and will take on newcomers Clearfield and Cyprus, in addition to Region 6 staples Highland, Woods Cross and Bountiful.

Senior co-captain LauraAnn Drury says the Leopards' goal is the school's first state title since 2004: "It will always be the goal here."