Kardinals clip Knights 1-0 in title game

PALMER — Soldotna’s Shana Powell may have been voted the most valuable player of the Northern Lights Conference, but it was Kenai Central goalkeeper Lacie Wortham who was the unofficial MVP of the NLC Championships.

Wortham recorded her third shutout in as many days and eighth of the season to lead the Kardinals to a 1-0 win over the Colony Knights in the NLC title game Saturday afternoon at Machetanz Field in Palmer.

“Lacie’s a brick wall,” Kenai senior Holly Perkins said. “She’s kept us in so many games.”

Wortham, who backstopped shutouts of Palmer and Wasilla during the first two rounds of the tournament, held strong through an early Colony push and a late Knights rush to lead the Kardinals to their first conference title since 2006.

“She kept them in the game. She had phenomenal saves, and that’s what saved them,” Colony head coach Lorie Miner said.

While the Knights could have easily taken the early lead, with multiple chances during the first 15 minutes of play, Wortham robbed Colony of a few golden opportunities in the final 15 minutes of regulation.

With about 10 to go, Wortham used a finger tip grab to snag a shot launched by Colony junior Katie Gonski from about 20 yards out. Gonski’s attempt appeared to be headed right under the crossbar before Wortham put her mitts on it. Just a few minutes later Wortham caught a Jamie Krediet header that was set up by Adriane Richey’s cross.

Wortham also routinely intercepted Colony crosses before the Knights could get another forward in the goalie box.

“She picked it off one at a time,” Miner said. “One ball after another.”

Krediet, alone, had a few of Colony’s late chances. She sent a free kick just above the crossbar and a hard shot from outside of the box inches to the left of the far post during the final 10 minutes.

Just prior to those opportunities, Gonski nearly redirected a Krediet cross into the net.

“Toward the end we were getting really tired. I am sure they were too, but they went on that last little surge,” Perkins said. “But we managed to keep it out of the net.”

Senior Sami Bidwill provided the lone goal of the game, giving the Kards the 1-0 lead during the 45th minute.

Shelby Daly — who joins Perkins and Wortham as first-team All-NLC selections — set up the play with a direct kid from midfield by moving the ball into Perkins.

“Shelby crossed the ball and it took a weird bounce,” Perkins said. “Their goalie came out and Sami put it right in the net.”

When Perkins took possession of the ball, Colony sophomore goalie Meghan Riopelle took a few steps away from the goal and was caught in traffic in front of the net. Once that happened, Perkins was able to slip the ball to Bidwill, who finished.

Miner said she certainly couldn’t fault the sophomore, who earned the start just before the first whistle sounded.

“We don’t have a starting goalie,” Miner said of her keepers Riopelle and junior Katelyn Payne. “It’s how has the better warm-up.”

Riopelle’s play was also key during Colony’s 2-1 semifinal win over Soldotna, and Miner applauded her for her efforts against a Kenai team that has outscored opponents 38-4 this year.

Gonski, Liza Laughlin and Kara Larson all had near misses early for CHS.

In just the second minute, Gonski chipped a shot over the crossbar. In the fifth minute, a Larson cross narrowly missed a sliding Laughlin.

Laughlin pushed a pair of shots just left of post during a five-minute span midway through the first half.

“We had a number of opportunities,” Miner said of the Knights, who were looking for their first NLC title since 2005.

Kenai and Colony represent two of the three NLC girls’ teams bound for the ASAA/First National Bank State Soccer Championships. The Kards, Knights and Wasilla Warriors, who edged Soldotna for third place, will start state tourney play on Wednesday. State tourney brackets are expected to be released on Sunday by ASAA.

Colony 2, Soldotna 1

PALMER — Colony scored a pair of unanswered goals to edge Soldotna 2-1 during the semifinals at Palmer High School on Friday.

After Tessa Tordi gave the Stars the early lead, Colony junior Jessica Farrell posted the game-tying score and senior Alex Coon notched the game-winner.

Kenai 2, Wasilla 0

PALMER — Sami Bidwill and Kylee Woodfard each scored during a nine-minute span midway through the first half to lead the Kenai Kardinals to a 2-0 win over Wasilla during the NLC semifinals at Palmer High School on Friday.

Soldotna junior, Kenai coach honored

PALMER — Soldotna junior Shawna Powell and Kenai head coach Dan Verkuilen earned major honors during an award ceremony that followed the NLC tournament on Saturday.

Powell was named NLC Most Valuable Player, while Verkuilen was tabbed as the conference’s coach of the year.

First-team All-NLC

Shawna Powell, Soldotna; Jamie Krediet, Colony; Tess Anderson, Palmer; Amy Jo Coonrod, Wasilla; Lacie Wortham, Kenai; Holly Perkins, Kenai; Shelby Daly, Kenai; Sammy Becker, Wasilla; Jessi Stenga, Soldotna; Ashlynn Frizzelle, Wasilla; Abby Chadwick, Nikiski; Brandi Day, Colony; Julie Ann Laughlin, Grace Christian; Emily Rohloff, Soldotna.

Second-team All-NLC

Sara Kenley, Colony; Roslyn Jennings, Homer; Rachel Kennedy, Wasilla; Tabor Tingstad, Wasilla; Linsay Layland, Homer; Shea Riggs, Palmer; Alexa Mestas, Grace Christian; Casey Coupchiak, Kenai; Julianna Mangelsdorf, Palmer; Krysta Theisen, Palmer; Jessica Farrell, Colony; Nikki Vanni, Wasilla; Katie Gonski, Colony; Angie Parrish, Nikiski; Justina Ilutsik, Grace Christian; Emma Teal Laukatis, Homer; Christiana Johnson, Grace Christian.