A prep soccer season slowed by the slow retreat of snow hit full speed Thursday with the first round of the Kenai Invitational Cup at Kenai Central and the Homer Soccer Tournament in Homer.
At Kenai, the Kenai boys topped Kodiak 4-0, the Palmer boys topped Homer 3-0, the Soldotna boys defeated Kenai JV 6-2 and the Juneau boys defeated Nikiski 13-0.
At Homer, the Soldotna girls defeated Nikiski 14-1, the Houston girls defeated Kodiak 3-0, the Homer girls defeated Redington 9-0 and the Kenai girls defeated Palmer 10-0.
Today at Kenai, there will be three games because Redington did not come to the tourney, and Nikiski does not have enough players to field a full team. The schedule is Kodiak vs. Homer in the consolation bracket at 3 p.m., then the semifinals between Kenai and Palmer at 5 p.m. and Soldotna and Juneau at 7 p.m.
Today in Homer, consolation play is Nikiski vs. Kodiak at 1 p.m. and Redington vs. Palmer at 3 p.m. The semifinals are Soldotna vs. Houston at 5 p.m. and Homer vs. Kenai at 7 p.m.
Kenai boys 4, Kodiak 0
Sawyer Vann and Wade James each scored two goals as the Kardinals improved to 3-0-1.
Ezekiel Yragui and Carnell Gump combined on the shutout, with Yragui seeing most of the time in net. Kenai head coach Shane Lopez also said in a text message that Carson Grimm had great offensive and defensive play in the midfield.
Lopez wrote in a text message that his team controlled the midfield and moved the ball well.
Soldotna girls 14, Nikiski 1
The Stars improved to 1-1-0 with the victory, while the Bulldogs fell to 0-1-0.
The goals for SoHi were Zayra Poage unassisted, Jazzalynn McDonald assisted by Morgan Lemm, Bay Bloom unassisted, Lemm assisted by Liberty Miller and Bay Bloom, Sadie Lane unassisted, Liberty Miller assisted by Lane and Lemm, Grayson Henry assisted by Lemm, Lemm assisted by Lane, Lemm unassisted, Bay Bloom unassisted, McDonald unassisted, Liberty Miller unassisted, Henry assisted by Caylee Uribe-Koivisto, and Sonia Montague assisted by Henry and McDonald.
Sunny Miller played the first half in net for SoHi and allowed a goal by Avery White. Avery Powell shut out Nikiski in the second half.
Nikiski coach Angie Coelho said in a text message that Soldotna always seems to be her squad’s kryptonite and that the Bulldogs will be ready to play today.
Palmer boys 3, Homer 0
The Mariners fell to 0-2-0 with the loss.
“I would like to first say congrats to Palmer,” Homer coach Adam Diaz texted. “They are a well coached team and have fluid chemistry.
“I would also like to say that my boys played well when we communicated and gave their best effort today. I look forward to what tomorrow brings for the Mariners.”
Soldotna boys 6, Kenai JV 2
The Stars improved to 1-0-1 overall by defeating Kenai’s junior varsity, which filled in when Redington dropped out.
Lane Hillyer had two goals, while Daniel Heath, Boone Theiler, Owen Buckbee and Gehret Medcoff also scored.
SoHi head coach Erik Dolphin is impressed with the freshmen on the team. Both Lane Hillyer and Buckbee are freshmen, while goalie Luke Hillyer also is a freshman. Dolphin also said Johnathan Wardas had some nice crosses.
The coach said the team just got on the field Monday, then played a tough game against Kenai on Tuesday.
“Tuesday was a pretty brutal game,” Dolphin said. “We just used this to kind of get our legs back and get tuned up a little bit.
“Our JV guys played the bulk of the minutes in the second half.”
Homer 9, Redington 0
The Mariners moved to 1-1-0 with the victory over the Huskies.
Felicia Weisser had the shutout for the Mariners on five saves, while Emma Grimes and Izzy Dye each had a pair of goals for Homer.
Also scoring for the Mariners were Talia Weisser, Regan Baker, Minadora Reutov, Goldie Hill and Channing Lowney.
Juneau boys 13, Nikiski 0
The defending Division II state champs defeated a team of Nikiski players, plus some Kenai JV players because the Bulldogs did not have enough for a full team. The Bulldogs are 0-1-0.
Nikiski head coach Horst Haunold said in a text message that playing the state champs was a great learning experience and he was proud of his team for not quitting. Haunold also thanked Kenai for the loan of the players.
Kenai girls 10, Palmer 0
The Kardinals moved to 3-0-0 with the victory over the Moose. Maddie Malone made one save to record the shutout for Kenai.
The goals came from Kylee Verkuilen unassisted, Rylie Sparks with an assist from Verkuilen, Kori Moore unassisted, Ella Yragui unassisted, Moore assisted by Tait Cooper, Danika Swafford assisted by Brynnen Hanson, Abby Castillo unassisted, Swafford unassisted, Yragui unassisted and Katie Johnson.
Kenai head coach Dan Verkuilen said Palmer gave his team more time than Soldotna and Homer to make decisions and the Kards took advantage with some nice passes. The coach also said he was able to get a lot of players into the game, and the young players did not miss a beat.
