The Soldotna and Kenai girls, and Juneau-Douglas: Yadaa.at Kale and Palmer boys, will play for championships today at the Homer Soccer Tournament and Kenai Invitational Cup.
In the Homer tourney, the Soldotna girls beat Houston 3-0 and the Kenai girls topped Homer 2-1 on penalty kicks to advance to today’s title game at 3 p.m. Homer and Houston will play for third at 1 p.m.
In the consolation bracket, the Nikiski girls topped Kodiak 2-0 and the Palmer girls defeated Redington 3-2 to advance to the fifth-place game at 11 a.m. today. Kodiak and Redington play for seventh at 9 a.m.
In the Kenai Invitational Cup at Kenai Central, the Palmer boys defeated Kenai 1-0 and the Juneau boys defeated Soldotna 2-0 in the semifinals. The Moose and Crimson Bears play for the title at 3 p.m., while Kenai and Soldotna play for third at 1 p.m.
In other action, Homer defeated Kodiak 3-2 on penalty kicks. Today, because Nikiski and Redington dropped out of the tournament, the Mariners and Moose play for fifth at 11 a.m.
Nikiski girls 2, Kodiak 0
The Bulldogs moved to 1-1-0 overall by earning their first victory since 2019.
Junior Emma Weeks earned the shutout in net to earn her first victory in goal. Weeks has played goalie in every game, all game, since her freshman season.
Savanna Stock and Brooke Abel had the goals for the Bulldogs.
Homer boys 3, Kodiak 2, SO
Niko Sulczynski, the sixth man in the shootout, scored to win the shootout as the Mariners moved to 1-2-0 overall.
Walden Kraszeski got the win in net for Homer.
“First off, that was my favorite game I’ve ever been a part of,” Homer head coach Adam Diaz wrote in a text message. “Kodiak really brought it today.
“I could not be prouder as a coach. My boys played to a higher level and fought like never before.”
The Bears got on the board first, but Michael Reutov knocked in a rebound to tie the game. Kodiak then took a 2-1 lead going into half after scoring off a corner kick.
In the second half, Sulczynski scored on a corner kick to send the game to a shootout.
Palmer boys 1, Kenai 0
The Kardinals fell to 3-1-1 with the loss to the Moose.
Led by Daniel Shelden and Landon Cialek, Kenai head coach Shane Lopez said in a text message that the defense played well.
“We had a few chances and just never capitalized,” Lopez wrote.
Kenai girls 2, Homer 1, SO
The Kardinals improved to 4-0-0 by winning in a penalty kick shootout against the Mariners, who are now 1-2-0.
Brynnen Hanson scored just 12 minutes into the game to put Kenai on top.
“We had a lot of opportunities to score, but hit posts and goalies,” Kenai head coach Dan Verkuilen wrote in a text message.
The Mariners drew even in the second half when Kenai took an own goal.
In the shootout, Verkuilen said Kardinals goalie Maddie Malone made some nice saves and did not allow a goal. Hanson scored again in the shootout for Kenai.
Juneau boys 2, Soldotna 0
The Crimson Bears scored twice in the first three minutes of the second half to drop the Stars to 1-1-1.
In the 42nd minute, Ahmir Parker scored when he flicked in a free kick. Just one minute later, Kean Buss scored on a breakaway.
Soldotna head coach Erik Dolphin was happy with the way his team defended, strung together passes and created chances in the first half against the defending Division II state champs.
“They are a good team and we felt good about how we played them for the first 40,” Dolphin wrote in a text message.
After Juneau’s burst of goals, Dolphin said his team created some chances but also seemed a bit defeated by the start to the half.
Dolphin wrote Collin Peck and Andrew Cox were solid in the middle of the defense, while Zac Buckbee held down the midfield.
“We just have to be able to put together a full 80 minutes and I like our chances against anyone,” Dolphin wrote.
Soldotna girls 3, Houston 0
The Stars moved to 2-1-0 by shutting out that Hawks. Zayra Poage, Jazzalynn McDonald and Morgan Lemm had the goals for SoHi, while Sunny Miller had the shutout.
