Palmer soccer preview; Moose girls, boys boast athletic squads

PALMER — When Harmony Chadwick looks at her team, she may only find about two players with a competitive youth soccer background. But she also sees a squad that certainly does not lack in athleticism.

“We have a full team of athletes, not so many soccer players,” Chadwick said recently.

But that’s something Chadwick and her coaching staff can work with. The team is full of players who excel in other Palmer High sports, and Chadwick hopes the Moose can use that to their advantage.

“We have athletic ability, and we had plenty of time to condition,” Chadwick said.

Chadwick said she hopes success from the other sports translates to the soccer field with many of these multi-sport players. She’s already seen it help out already for the Moose, who made their season debut in a 3-0 loss to Wasilla in Anchorage last week.

Before the Wasilla match, the Moose suddenly had a void to fill on defense. Chadwick moved Anna Koehn back, and the senior played well in her new position. Chadwick said Koehn, also a varsity basketball player at Palmer, was able to take her defensive skills from the court and take them to the soccer field.

Caitlin Scott is another Palmer basketball player, but first-year soccer player. Because of her athletic ability, Chadwick said she was able to insert Scott right into the lineup.

Chadwick also expects a number of Palmer volleyball players to play key roles for her soccer team. That list includes Lily Cullers, Elliot Perkins and senior goalkeeper Morgan Morfe.

Cullers and Perkins will both play up front in forward positions. Morfe, Palmer’s returning starting goalkeeper, is also expected to be a big key to Palmer’s potential for success.

Chadwick also has a two-sport spring athlete. Senior Tress Whitfield is also on the Palmer track and field team.

Juniors Shanara Acker and Mircale Burton are also among the other top veterans returning.

Chadwick noted sophomore Kendall Howe and freshman Rebecca Youngblood.

Palmer graduated only two seniors last season, Megan Stark and Kendal Venzke.

While the Moose girls suffered only two losses to graduation, the Palmer boys have some wholes to fill.

“We lost a lot of players, but we’ve also got a lot of players coming in. We definitely have high hopes coming in,” Palmer head coach Kevin Dearborn said recently.

Palmer has a strong group of seniors that includes Aube Strickland, Steven Lee, Jesse Dahms and Derek Hanna. Strickland will play at forward, while Lee will work in the outside midfield. Dahms is Palmer’s sweeper, and Hanna will also play defense.

“The core group is coming back,” Dearborn said.

The Palmer roster has also been boosted by three foreign exchange students. Felix Rinaldi (a native of Germany), Andres Bates (Mexico) and Luis Fernandez (Spain) will all add to the squad.

Another newcomer is junior Nick Blohm, who played at Wasilla last year.

“This kid’s incredible,” Dearborn said.

The Moose also have three goalkeepers on the roster — freshman Elliott Price, sophomore Chandler Jones and senior Thomas Morino.

The Palmer girls and boys teams are expected to make their Valley debut Tuesday at Machetanz Field against Houston. The girls game is slated to start at 4 p.m., and the boys game will start at 6.

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