Colony senior goes from scoring goals to stopping them

PALMER - As he prepared for the 2006 boys soccer season, Colony head coach Jeremy Johnson was faced with a dilemma.

Where was the best spot for Ian Walton?

Keep him at forward, or move him to keeper?

As a freshman goalkeeper, Walton led the Knights to a region championship.

And last season, as a junior forward, Walton led the Knights to a region championship.

Knowing Walton would succeed at either position, combined with the fact Colony did lose both keepers from a 2005 squad that advanced to the state title game, Johnson opted to move Walton. And now the Colony senior will end his Knight career, the same place he started it - in the Colony goal.

&#8220It kind of fell into his lap, and he took it head on,” Johnson said.

Walton was the emergency keeper last year, behind senior starter Jake Williams and sophomore reserve George Percak-Dennett. Williams graduated, and is playing at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Wash. Percak-Dennett opted to compete on the CHS track and field squad. Walton said had expressed some interest in playing in goal last season, and now its a full-time job.

&#8220There was no one else to play goalie, so I figured I'd jump in,” Walton said.

Walton doesn't seem to care where on the soccer field he is playing, just as long as he's playing.

&#8220I like forward, I like keeper,” Walton said. &#8220There are times when I wish I was still playing forward, and there are times when I'm glad I'm in goal. Wherever I can help my team the most, and this year it's playing keeper.”

Walton is proving to be a keeper in net this season, allowing only one goal in Colony's first two games. But he also seems to be bringing a little bit of the forward mentality to the goal. In Colony's 7-1 win over Soldotna on Wednesday, Walton regularly challenged the Star forwards. On one play he traveled about 15 yards up the field to steal a ball from a Soldotna player.

&#8220Ian does like to come out and challenge the shooter,” Johnson said. &#8220That's just his style.”

That style, Walton said, is an important part of his game.

&#8220You have to (be aggressive),” Walton said. &#8220You have to establish that this is your box, this is going to be your game. If you don't then anybody will come in and walk all over you.”

Walton said there are things he likes about both positions, but there really isn't a preference.

&#8220Forward - scoring the goals. And keeper - it's just the adrenaline rush,” Walton said. &#8220having someone charge you. You have to either stop the shot, or take them down.”

The biggest advantage to playing in goal, Walton said, is using your hands.

&#8220It's something that no one else gets to do,” Walton said.

There are differences, but Walton said it was not tough to adjust between the two positions. He played in goal in the winter leagues at the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex to prepare for the season.

&#8220That's where I got a lot of my skill back,” Walton said.

A player most of his life - 14 years at the youth, competitive and prep levels - Walton hopes his career continues into college. This year he is already mixing college-level academics with soccer. Walton is part of the early honors program at Alaska Pacific University, and it satisfying the requirements for his senior year of high school and freshman year of college at the same time. Walton said he would like to attend APU for another year, and then try to land himself a spot on a college soccer roster.

&#8220He's got the opportunity, if he wants to go somewhere,” Johnson said. &#8220He definitely could play at a forward or goalkeeper position.”

Walton is also getting the exposure. For the last two summers he has traveled to Santa Barbara University to participate in the Vogelsinger Soccer Academy. Walton said professional soccer players from across the globe serve as coaches at the academy. He's had the chance to work with coaches from South America and Europe.

But until then, Walton is hoping to do the same thing he did as a freshman - lead the Knights to a region championship from his goalkeeper position.

Contact sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at 352-2273, or sports@frontiersman.com.