Palmer boys upset top seed in first round of NLC soccer tourney

KENAI — It may have been a rough regular season for the Palmer boys soccer squad, but the Moose apparently know how to win while it really counts.

Palmer upset top-seeded Nikiski 3-0 during the first round of the Northern Lights Conference Championships at Kenai Central High School on Thursday. Palmer moves on to play Wasilla, which blanked host Kenai 2-0, Friday in the semifinal round. Nikiski is eliminated with the loss.

Colony also moves forward to the semis, thanks to its 6-0 win over Homer. The Knights will face the Grace Christian Grizzlies, who upset Soldotna 3-0.

The NLC North Division was a perfect 4-0 in the first round.

Wasilla and Colony both moved into the semis of the girls’ bracket. Colony edged Nikiski 3-1 and will face top-seeded Soldotna, which shut out Palmer 4-0, on Friday. The Warriors beat Skyview 4-0 in the first round and will play Kenai, which beat Grace 7-1, in the semis.

See the Friday edition of the Frontiersman for complete coverage of the quarterfinals.

Northern Lights Conference Championships schedule

Girls’ bracket:

Thursday (quarterfinals):

Soldotna 4, Palmer 0

Colony 3, Nikiski 1

Kenai Central 7, Grace Christian 1

Wasilla 4, Skyview 0

Friday (semifinals):

Soldotna vs. Colony, 11 a.m.

Kenai vs. Wasilla, 3 p.m.

Saturday:Third-place match (winner advances to state), 10 a.m.

Championship match (both teams advance to state), 2 p.m.

Boys’ bracket:

Thursday (quarterfinals):

Palmer 3, Nikiski 0

Wasilla 2, Kenai 0

Grace Christian 3, Soldotna 0

Colony 6, Homer 0

Friday (semifinals):

Grace vs. Colony, 1 p.m.

Palmer vs. Wasilla, 5 p.m.

Saturday:

Third-place match (winner advances to state), noon

Championship match (both teams advance to state), 4 p.m.