Palmer bests Nikiski

NIKISKI — Competing with one less player than the Palmer Moose for the final 30 minutes spelled doom for the Nikiski boys soccer team Friday afternoon at Nikiski High School.

The end result was a physical 3-0 Northern Lights Conference win for Palmer, improving the Moose’s season record to 5-9 and snapping a three-game losing streak. The loss dropped the Bulldogs to 3-2 on the year.

The trouble started in the 51st minute in the second half, when Nikiski midfielder Nico Castro was yellow-carded for the second time in two days, resulting in an automatic red card. That meant Castro was to be sent to the sideline and Nikiski could not substitute in another player, and therefore had to play a game of 10 on 11.

“That was pretty normal from the games up north,” said Palmer coach Kevin Dearborn. “We play Colony and Wasilla, and those are always pretty physical games. That was about right on for us.”

The Bulldogs were already down two goals at that point, so any hopes of a comeback were immediately dashed.

Nikiski goalie Sullivan Jackson faced 13 shots on goal, while Palmer goalie Brandon Banks faced three shots. Palmer also had 12 corner kick opportunities to Nikiski’s two.

“I think we played a full 80 minutes,” Dearborn said. “Usually we play 20 minutes and then we get scored on, or we play a good 60 minutes and drop it in the last 20. I thought we played hard today.”

Dearborn lauded the play of senior captain Chandler Jones and Artur Kavaliov, both of whom determinedly pushed the ball up the sides throughout the game to create scoring chances.

Elliot Price scored first for Palmer in the 15th minute with an assist from Lucas Clark. Price’s kick was saved by Jackson, but the ball still managed to slip his grasp and find its way into the net.

Price himself was given a yellow card just before the first half ended, and with a slim lead, Dearborn said he knew better to let his team relax.

“I told the guys at halftime that it’s not over,” Dearborn said. “It was important that we scored another goal.”

And score another goal they did. Barely 60 seconds passed in the second half before Nathan Pempek sent a long shot careening past Jackson and into the left corner of the net from about 25 yards out.

CHS boys blank Homer

HOMER — Sophomore Ben Sande struck twice to lead the Colony Knights to a boys soccer win over Homer Friday in Homer.

Asher Dale also collected a goal and an assist to help keep Colony undefeated in Northern Lights Conference play. Chaz Stephens and Austin Richardson furnished assists.

Sande, with help from Richardson, struck first in the 20th minute to give the Knights the 1-0 lead. Sande scored a goal, set up by Dale, in the 47th minute to give the Knights the two-goal lead.

In the 52nd minute, Stephens used a throw-in to set up the Dale goal. Dale used a left-footed half-volley from about 16 yards out to put the ball in the net.

Colony 5, Nikiski 0

Thursday, Kyle Bolam scored twice to lead Colony to a 5-0 win over Nikiski at Nikiski High. Dayton Rabellisza and Richardson also scored. There was also a Nikiski own-goal in the game.

With a school population of less than 300, Nikiski was facing quite a task Thursday against the Colony Knights, a school that many coaches are pointing to as the state championship favorites in 2014.

“The kids get up for that, they like to play a quality team like that,” Nikiski coach Jim Coburn said. “Even though it was a loss, they put a lot into that game.”

Colony goalkeeper Sean Haley earned the shutouts against Homer and Nikiski.

Wasilla boys tie Juneau

WASILLA — Ethan Keenan scored with 20 minutes in regulation to help Wasilla force a 2-2 tie against state power Juneau-Douglas Friday at Wasilla High School.

Juneau led 1-0 and 2-1 in the game. Kevin O’Laughlin tied the score for Wasilla late in the first half, converting a penalty kick to make it a 1-1 contest