Knights top rival Warriors on new turf field

PALMER — The wind was supposed to stop.

The Colony Knights had a strategy Thursday. With reports the afternoon winds would calm early the evening, Colony opted to wait until the second half to play into the wind. But those weather reports weren’t exactly accurate, and the wind never stopped.

Luckily for the Knights, the wind didn’t blow Colony’s opportunity to snag a win in its home opener. Powered by a pair of second-half goals, Colony scored a 3-0 victory over rival Wasilla Thursday at Colony High.

“It didn’t really work out, in the sense the weather report we got said the wind was going to die down,” longtime Colony head coach Jeremy Johnson said after the victory. “We took wind at our back at halftime, thinking if it dies down at halftime, it’s good for us.”

The Knights used a goal midway through the first half and a pair in the second to post a win on a windy day, and out-do the outstanding performance of Wasilla goalkeeper Corey Hogan.

With the wind at its back, Colony scattered a number of hard shots on goal throughout the first half. After a trio of legitimate goal-scoring opportunities between the 13th and 19th minutes, Nick Blohm struck for Colony during the 24th.

Blohm settled a ball at about 20 yards out, and knocked a shot low, into the right side of the net.

“We created a few opportunities there, and luckily got that nice goal from Nick,” Johnson said.

Colony needed less than a minute in the second half to push its lead to a pair. Jake Spannagel drove the ball toward the Knights net and struck a shot hard off the fingertips of Hogan and into the back of the goal. Harrison Menard rounded out the scoring, tucking a shot underneath the crossbar during the 78th minute.

Colony did strike three times, but Hogan made numerous tough saves to keep the Warriors in the game.

“Corey played fantastic,” Wasilla head coach Blake Livingston said. “He made several key saves. What more can you ask?”

Livingston said Wasilla had a game plan going in.

“We knew they would probably out-possess us. We were looking to counter. We were able to do that two or three times in the first half and create some quality opportunities,” Livingston said. “You’ve got to give Colony credit. They’re very talented and well-coached. Our defense was under tremendous pressure pretty much the entire match.”

Livingston’s defense also responded to the pressure. Juniors Josiah Williams and R.J. Kinmon helped Hogan by stepping back to help save a pair of potential goals.

During the 13th minute, Kinmon, locked at the right post, kept a ball from squeezing inside the post. In the 47th minute, Spannagel and Hogan collided as the Colony forward drove into the box. The ball got past the pair and rolled toward the goal. Williams was able to get to the net in time and sweep the ball away.

“I was really encouraged by what I saw out of the back line overall,” Livingston said. “We have some new guys back there. I think they’re coming together, and they’re only going to get better.”

The win pushed Colony’s mark to 2-0 this season, but it also gave the Knights a win in their first match on their turf field.

“We played soccer in the Valley with cleats in April,” an elated Johnson said. “It’s wonderful.”

Livingston, a longtime Wasilla coach and former Valley prep player, was also excited to see local teams playing in outdoor matches in the Valley during the first week of April.

“I’m just trying to take it in,” Livingston said. “To be outside this early in April on a nice field like this, it’s awesome.”

This is the first year that Valley high school soccer teams will play on turf fields. Turf at Colony and Palmer high schools were installed during the summer of 2012 and completed prior to the 2012 prep football season. Palmer makes its debut on turf today, hosting South Anchorage at 6 p.m.

Colony hosts West at 6.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.