Searra Herbert said she wasn’t sure she was going to play soccer this season.
Caribou High School’s senior striker suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in a 6-0 Class B North preliminary victory over Gardiner last fall and underwent knee surgery in November.
“I was worried I was going to get injured again,” explained Herbert, who had missed her sophomore soccer season after tearing the ACL in her right knee her freshman year and having it surgically repaired.
Herbert decided to play after all, and she has racked up 17 goals to propel the Vikings to a 7-0 start this season.
“I’m really glad I did,” said Herbert, who scored 23 goals in 2016, one shy of the school regular-season record.
“She has a knack for scoring. You can’t teach that,” said Caribou coach Todd Albert. “She hits the ball well. It was good to get her back.”
Herbert spent a busy offseason rehabilitating her knee with physical therapist Mark Rossignol and she said it “feels good right now.
“It still gets sore and stuff but it’s almost (100 percent),” said Herbert, who no longer requires physical therapy but does “do stuff on my own at my house.”
She noted that Rossignol, in addition to giving her exercises to strengthen her knee, also worked in some “soccer stuff, too.”
Albert said Herbert is a better player this year and she agreed.
“I feel quicker out there and I also think I’m a smarter player,” said Herbert. “Coach (Albert) has helped me a lot.”
Herbert, one of five senior captains, has benefited by having a quality supporting cast around her.
That includes the other four captains in left back Danielle Hanson, center midfielders Gabrielle Marquis and Hope Shea, and striker Ashley Matlock.
Marquis and Matlock have teamed up to score 11 goals.
Albert moved Shea from center back to center mid in the hopes she could win more balls in the midfield and it has paid off.
Two other seniors also play regularly as Meagan Dube is an outside back and Jaelynn Doody has been sharing the goalkeeping with freshman Sage Dubay.
Juniors Monica McLaughlin, Willow Whitten and Alexis Rodriguez are the other starters along with sophomore Emily Adler.
Lawrence High of Fairfield transfer Joycelyn Hartin and freshman Edie Shea and cousins Amber Moir and Brooke Moir have been important contributors off the bench.
Caribou has outscored its opponents 45-5 and has posted impressive wins over archrival Presque Isle (2-1) and Brewer (4-2), which has moved to Class B from Class A this season.
Presque Isle eliminated Caribou in the quarterfinals last year 4-1.
Herbert said the team has been working “real well together” and “we’ve all really improved.”
Albert said he knew this year’s team had a chance to be pretty good and he has been pleased that it has developed some depth.
“Some years you don’t have it. Sometimes you’ll get some seniors who peak out before the season. But these girls have all improved, which is good,” said Albert. “This is a fun group to coach.”
The Vikings head south for their next two games.
They travel to Dover-Foxcroft for a Thursday game against Foxcroft Academy, then take on B North power Hermon (6-0-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m.
“The Hermon game is going to be a big one,” said Herbert, who intends to attend Husson University in Bangor next fall and study physical therapy.
She also hopes to play soccer at Husson.