Stingy defense

By JEREMIAH BARTZ

Sports editor

WASILLA -- The Colony Knights boys' soccer team is using defense to defend its Region III title. The reigning region champions notched their fourth shutout of the season with a 1-0 win over Wasilla at Wasilla High School on Monday.

The 6-1-1 Knights have allowed just five goals this season, and given up multiple goals in a game just once -- in a 2-0 loss to Skyview in the season opener.

"Defense wins championships," Colony head coach Jeremy Johnson said. "If they don't score they can't win."

Johnson said communication and quality play in goal can be attributed to Colony's stellar play on the defensive end.

"Everyone trusts each other, everyone listens," Johnson said. "Obviously (goalkeeper) Jake (Williams) has been huge."

While Wasilla did not send a steady stream of shots his way, Williams made a pair of possibly game-saving saves against the Warriors. Williams made a leaping dive toward the right side of the net to halt a Warrior scoring opportunity on an Angelo Ebenal free kick.

In the second half Williams intercepted the ball before Warrior junior Robbie Champion was able to redirect a Ryan Dunham free kick that deflected off the crossbar.

Cody Troseth scored the game-winner for Colony early in the first half. Troseth put a pair of early shots on goal in the opening minutes of the game and about 10 minutes into the contest, the Colony senior redirected an Ian Walton shot into the Wasilla net.

Walton initially came in and tried to put a header past the Warrior goalkeeper. Troseth booted in the rebound.

Wasilla had its opportunities on net, but the Warriors pushed many of their shots high above the goal.

Ebenal, Spencer Roddick and Zachary Bennett each had shots go above and Casey Bowen bounced a shot off the crossbar early in the first half.

"For us there are no moral victories," Wasilla head coach Blake Livingston said. "Both teams played pretty well. We had good opportunities. We were trying to hit the ball really hard, we got under a few."

Palmer 1, Colony 1

The Palmer and Colony boys' soccer teams played to a 1-1 tie at Palmer High School on Tuesday.

All the scoring in the game was in a two-minute span late in the first half.

Troseth gave Colony a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute of the first half. Palmer junior Paxton Price answered Troseth one minute later and tied the game at 1-1.