The Kenai Central girls soccer team defeated Soldotna 1-0 on Tuesday in the season opener for both teams.
The two squads have long been fierce rivals, with the competition only growing more intense the past two seasons.
In 2023, the Stars topped the Kardinals on penalty kicks in the Division II state final after Kenai had won the previous three meetings between the teams that season.
In 2024, the Kardinals topped the Stars 2-1 on penalty kicks in the state semifinals on the way to a state title. The squads split the regular season meetings, with Kenai winning the Peninsula Conference title game 1-0 in overtime.
With Tuesday’s game being a nonconference affair, Soldotna coach Jimmy Love and Kenai coach Jeff Siemers were more about finally getting some game play than about etching another classic in the rivalry.
The teams will play twice more during the regular season, with the potential to meet again at the conference tournament and state.
“It was really just about playing against somebody other than ourselves, and so that’s always going to test you a little bit,” Love said. “It’s Kenai, so that’s going to test you even more as the crosstown rivalry.
“But the biggest thing was being able to get out there and do something in a game situation.”
For the past 12 years, the rivalry has meant Love against former Kenai head coach Dan Verkuilen.
Verkuilen retired after last season, but Siemers coached the Soldotna boys from 2002 to 2014, so he’s well-versed in the rivalry.
In the ninth minute, Kate Wisnewski received a pass from Sarah Baisden and drilled a shot from the top of the box past SoHi keeper Ryan Queen.
Baisden and Wisnewski are both senior captains and head up a list of pivotal returners from last season’s state squad. Senior goalie Maddie Malone, who had the shutout, joins that list.
“Having a senior keeper and a couple of senior captains, too, that really helps,” said Siemers, who has 25 out for his program.
The coach also liked the play of junior forward Brynnen Hanson and German foreign exchange student Christine Goering as the Kardinals were able to keep pressure on Soldotna for most of the game.
“We got one early, which really helps,” Siemers said. “We kept pressing and kept getting opportunities. We just couldn’t get one after that.”
The Stars had their best opportunity in the 65th minute, when Jillian Duncan drilled one just over the top bar. From that point on, SoHi attacked more than it had the entire game.
Love, who has 35 players in his program, said his squad was not mentally ready for the game. He said the Stars didn’t move the ball, didn’t move to space and were beat to 50-50 balls.
“Sometime in the second half, we started to think, ‘OK, we can do this,’” Love said. “It’s 65 minutes into the game. It’s too late to decide you can play a game.
“We definitely know we have some stuff to work on.”
Love said the biggest bright spot was Queen in the goal. The coach said his squad allowed too many shots from 18 yards and in, but Queen was able to keep them out of the net.
“Ryan had the game,” Love said. “I thought it could have been four or five to nothing at that point.”
On Thursday, April 17, the Kenai girls host Homer at 5 p.m., while the boys play at 7 p.m.
On Friday, April 18, the SoHi girls travel to Colony at 3 p.m., while the boys follow at 5 p.m.
Soldotna’s Emma Glassmaker and Kenai Central’s Tait Cooper battle for the ball Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna goalie Ryan Queen notches a save in front of Kenai Central’s Christine Goering on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
