Morning Star Staff
The Blue Skittles squeaked past the Maroon Marshmallows 3-2 in a U9 girls youth soccer thriller Saturday at Creekside Park.
Skittle speedsters Aida Dempsey and Sophie Challen both got behind the Marshmallow defence for early chances. Midfielders Fianna Gough and Sierra Allen won balls for the Skittles with non-stop hustle.
In the dying seconds of the first half, Sidney Headington broke into the clear and gave the Marshmallows a one-goal cushion.
Early in the second, the Skittles scuttled the Maroon lead as Jasmine Soon tapped the ball to Ava Wood in the goal area, and she flicked home the equalizer. Seven minutes later, Ava Wood took control of a Marshmallow throw-in, bounded into the box, and bagged her second.
Headington evened the score, capping a long run with a bomb. The Marshmallows pressed for more, but could not find a way past the determined defensive wall of Erica Lovelace, Kiana Bussiere, and Emmah Pedersen.
With time ticking down, Madison Vranesic and Soon went on the offensive. Soon buried her own rebound, and the Skittles ski-daddled with a last-second win.
Team Red upended the Celtics 2-0 in U13 girls play at Marshall Field.
The Celtic defence was outstanding with no breaks for Rachel Richter, Lisa Debeer and Renee Fairgrieve. Star winger Lottie Scott sprinted often to the corner, but was surrounded by Red defenders.Scott managed to feed forwards Adalaide Andow and Jennika Helmle for quality chances. Laren Rollier controlled the midfield .
In U18 girls action, Kierra Bootsma scored twice as Young Life edged Kidston & Co. Lawyers 2-1.
Destiny Hartgerink and Lakin Harison were tireless and strong in midfield for Young Life.
The Polar Bears iced the Cookie Monsters 2-1, in a U12 boys fixture Saturday at Marshall.
The Bears capitalized on a 2-on-1 in the 20th minute, with Jace Kisilevich’s strike deflecting in off a blue defender.
Monster keeper Tavis Whibley kept his team close, twice swatting away balls labeled for corners. Before the half, the Cookie Monsters looked to be level. Keaton Dick sent in Owen Sunderland, who converted just a shade offside.
The Polar Bears padded their lead early in the second. Jonathan Bielski raced down the right side, and whipped the ball in to Kaden Short for a one-touch goal.
Mason Bueckert, Liam Heckrodt, and Cade Dempsey fortified the Monsters’ backline, and kept the Bears at bay.
Ten minutes from time, Quinn Soon advanced the ball to Whibley at center, and he sprung Brandon Phillips who cracked one between the sticks for the biscuit beasts.
With several girls away for club volleyball provincials, all U13 teams were playing with skeleton crews. The white and blue (Ice Breakers) coaches agreed to play 6 vs 6, resulting in a great game where the girls had lots of open space to dribblewith White winning 1-0.
Ice Breaker newbie Mackenzie Palm played an excellent match, skillfully receiving several drop kicks and smartly distributing the ball with her fellow forwards to push the offence.
First-half defenders Jennika Bobryk and Becky Herrick were a wall on the back end. The Ice Breakers started the second half down a goal and forward Kaylee Goodrich did her best to spark the offence, using some clever pull-backs and her speed to penetrate the defence.
Late in the game, two sprawling saves by Herrick gave the Ice Breakers a fighting chance.
The Printech Blue Steel overtook the Fairfield Inn & Suites 2-1 in U13 boys soccer.
Blue Steel started off with a lob from Jared Ross to Zach Manthorne resulting in a goal. Fairfield came back in the second half with a goal but the Blue Steel once again took possession of the game with a give-and-go play between Manthorne and Ross with Ross scoring the winner.
Blue Steel received firm defence from Liam Van Wyk and Stuart Kopy, midfield support from Griffin Fletcher, Travis Towers and Noah Clarke, and strong play from forwards Kristian Hovdebo and Ryan Ponipal.
