Retiring teacher, coach urges Colony grads to ‘find their 68’
By Jeremiah Bartz Frontiersman.com A football coach using a hockey reference as the centerpiece for his keynote address may
3 min read
WASILLA — The Wasilla Warriors are confident they have the pieces to assemble a team with the potential to contend for a Northern Lights Conference title. The challenge for the Warriors has been bringing those pieces together at one time.
But as the Warriors continue to recover from an assortment of injuries, Wasilla does show flashes of that potential.
“That’s been our main goal. With people coming into the season with injuries and a few more within our first couple of games, I’ve told them to hang in there,” Wasilla head coach Amber Craig said after a 4-0 win over Palmer at Veterans Memorial Field on Tuesday. “As long as we can get everyone in a week or two before regions, we’ll be OK.”
Two of those players who have missed time due to injury, seniors Amy Jo Coonrod and Lina Shadrach, scored for Wasilla. Senior Kendra Miner also tallied a goal during the win over the Moose.
In the first meeting between the Valley rivals earlier this season, Palmer and Wasilla played to a 1-1 tie. Craig said the Warriors felt there was a little unfinished business heading into the second game against the Moose.
“All the girls left the field knowing they could have done better,” Craig said of that first match. “I’m glad to see the girls came together.”
Miner gave the Warriors the early lead, booting a high kick from just outside the box. The senior tucked the shot underneath the Palmer crossbar to give the Warriors the 1-0 lead during the sixth minute.
Coonrod scored the first of her two goals during the 50th minute to give the Warriors the 2-0 advantage. Coonrod made a strong move into the goalie box and was able to slip a shot past Palmer goalie Morgan Morfe.
In the 62nd minute, Shadrach took a cross from the right side and redirected the shot into the net. Coonrod capped the scoring in the 78th minute by bending a corner kick from the left side, just inside the far post.
Palmer girls 3,
Thunder Mountain 0
PALMER — The Palmer Moose scored a 3-0 nonconference win over Thunder Mountain Thursday night.
Elliot Perkins, Kendal Venzke and Shanara Acker scored for Palmer. Kat Godden earned the shutout in the Moose net.
Wasilla boys 4,
Palmer 0
WASILLA — Senior Paul Sliwa scored a pair of goals to lead the Wasilla Warriors to a 4-0 win over the Palmer Moose in boys’ soccer action at Veterans Memorial Field on Tuesday.
Sliwa scored twice during the first 22 minutes of regulation to help his team score the win over the rival Moose. Senior Cameron Perry and sophomore Kyler Perry also scored for WHS.
Cameron Perry chipped a shot into the Palmer net during the second minute to give the Warriors the early lead. Sliwa followed with his first goal during the 11th minute, slipping into the box and tapping a low shot into the right corner of the net. Sliwa also converted a penalty kick during the 22nd minute.
Wasilla boys 10, Houston 0
HOUSTON — The Wasilla Warriors scored a 10-0 win over the Houston boys at Houston High School on Wednesday.
Senior Paul Sliwa led the Warriors with three goals.
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