2018 preview: A new era for Palmer soccer

PALMER —After missing an opportunity to play in the region tournament by the narrowest of margins last year, members of the Palmer Moose girls soccer squad entered the 2018 with some unfinished business. Vast offseason change may have altered Palmer’s course. But the destination is still the same.

A spot in the postseason.

The Palmer girls and boys have both entered a new era during the offseason as high school soccer became a multi-classification sport for the first time in Alaska. Both are now Division II programs in the Northern Lights Conference. There is no region tournament, and regular-season conference standings will determine the two teams that advance to the Division II state tourney in late May.

“We’re motivated, really motivated to make up for what happened last year,” Palmer girls head coach Harmony Chadwick said recently.

Last year, Palmer played to a scoreless tie against Houston late in the regular season. The Hawks used the tie as a tiebreaker in the battle with Palmer for the final spot in the region tourney. Houston made school history with its first trip to regions. Palmer was forced to see its season come to an end.

Chadwick said her players have been looking forward to a rematch with the Hawks in 2018, but earlier this month, Houston announced the school will not be able to field a girls team this season because of low participation.

“It’s a bummer. The girls really wanted to play them,” Chadwick said of the Hawks. “It’s a bummer their program has to take a year off.”

Now, Chadwick said, the focus is on taking care of business in the NLC, which also includes Grace Christian, Kodiak and Redington.

“Without having a region tournament, now we have to make state,” Chadwick said. “We have to win games to make state.”

Palmer is looking for its first trip to a state tournament in more than a decade. Chadwick said she’s excited about her group of athletes who will make a run toward the state tourney.

“It’s a really good group. A really good senior class returning, with really strong freshmen,” Chadwick said.

Among Palmer’s leaders are seniors Kiley Fish and Dory Schneider, a pair of all-region selections and standouts on the defensive side. Palmer also returns its starting goalkeeper, senior Shaleen Tolbert.

Senior Caile Dosser is among Palmer’s veterans up top.

Chadwick said the Moose have three freshmen — Catherine Uschmann, Payton Knittle and Elise Wright — who are expected to help right away. Chadwick said her freshmen have the athleticism that should allow them to make an impact.

Chadwick said she hopes the combination of veterans and influx of new talent will help provide the Moose with more of a scoring punch this year.

“We had some opportunities last year, but we weren’t scoring very much,” Chadwick said. “That should be different this year.”

Both Moose soccer squads have Palmer High graduates at the helm this year. Josh Banks, a member of Palmer High’s class of 2014, is in his first season as the head coach of the Moose boys’ team.

“I am excited, hoping to kind of change the whole Palmer atmosphere,” Banks said recently. “It’s been kind of rough the last decade.”

But Banks, a former Moose soccer standout who went on to play at Southwestern Oregon Community College, said he hopes to help turn the boys’ soccer program around. Banks served as an assistant coach last season. During the offseason, he put together an training program. Banks said he’s hoping it is a step in the right direction for a program, he feels is ready for a breakout season.

Banks said Palmer started the season shorthanded, but a handful of players returned from injury earlier in the week. Overall, Banks said the Moose have a good number of veterans, particularly in the junior class.

“We are more junior heavy than anything else,” Banks said.

One of the leaders, Manveer Singh, is off to a great start with a half-dozen goals early in the season.

“For Palmer, that’s really good,” Banks said.

In recent seasons, Banks said, Palmer’s leading goal-scorer has averaged about eight goals per season.

Senior captains Kyle Berberich, Jeremy Houston and Reed Godden are among Palmer’s leaders this season. Berberich is Palmer’s goalkeeper, Houston plays on defense and Godden is in the midfield. Banks also noted junior midfielders Isaiah Montoya and Pedro Gonzalez, and Makeehan Knittle, a junior on defense.

** Editor’s note: This is part of a series previewing the Valley’s Division I and Division II soccer programs. For more on the Colony Knights and Wasilla Warriors, see frontiersman.com/sports. For more on the Redington Huskies and Houston Hawks, see an upcoming edition of the Frontiersman. Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.