The power of pink

May 8, 2005

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

PALMER - With her pink cleats, Palmer High School junior Joann Spannagel is the easiest player to pick out on the soccer field.

Even those sitting high, at the top of the bleachers of Machetanz Field at PHS, can see Spannagel in her, almost electric, pink cleats running back and forth across the field.

But whether its Spannagel's speed or the vibrant color of her footwear, something is causing the Palmer junior to burn opponents.

Spannagel scored twice in the second half to lead the Moose to a 3-0 win over the Colony Knights on Friday.

"It's gotta be (the shoes). We're going to say it is," Palmer head coach Brian Fish said candidly after the win.

But maybe it's the speed of Spannagel that sends her screaming down the field like pink lightning. Spannagel showed that speed on a breakaway goal midway through the second half.

In the 21st minute of the second, the Palmer midfielders pushed the ball up to a sprinting Spannagel. She raced the ball, out ran a pair of Knights and booted the ball into the left side of the net.

Fourteen minutes later, Spannagel intercepted a Colony pass and put a 20-yard kick into the net.

"I think probably out of all the players I've been fortunate enough to coach, she's probably got the best speed - all out speed," Fish said.

Fish said he is seeing Spannagel establish herself as a top player. With the departure of past leaders on the offensive end such as Felicia Sandvick, Spannagel is stepping out of the shadows.

"Joann's always had the potential, but now she's having to step up and play that role. She's answering that challenge and playing really well for us," Fish said.

Spannagel has also had to answer the calls from opponents, teasing her about the pink cleats.

"A lot of other teams, they kind of make fun of me at the beginning of the game. Then I get an assist or goal or something," Spannagel said.

But other teams are not the only people to notice Spannagel's different choice of cleats. While in Las Vegas for a showcase soccer tournament, a reporter from the Fox Sports soccer cable television channel noticed the pink cleats. Fox interviewed the Palmer native and did a 30-minute story on Spannagel and her pink cleats.

Spannagel said her parents like the idea of easily finding their daughter whenever she is on the field.

"They're making a soccer video for me, for colleges, and it's easier to tell (where I am)," Spannagel said.

Spannagel can thank her dad for the attention and the pink cleats. Before the soccer season, Spannagel cleaned out her closet and accidentally threw out the pair of cleats she planned to use for her junior season. While in New Jersey, knowing that pink is his daughter's favorite color, Spannagel's dad picked up the pair of pink shoes.

With her scores Friday, Spannagel posted three goals in less than a week against the Knight. She converted a penalty kick in a 2-1 win over Colony at CHS on Monday.

Spannagel said it was difficult playing a Valley rival twice within a five-day period, especially when you consider Palmer had to play perennial state power Juneau-Douglas on Thursday.

After playing a mediocre first half, Spannagel said the Moose made adjustments going into the final 40 minutes of play.

"Today (Colony) really wanted it. They dominated us in the first half and the second we just picked it up," Spannagel said. "We were not making the runs we needed to (in the first half). We were playing 1-on-1, not as a team."

Leslie Berberich gave Palmer an immediate boost in the second half. Three minutes into the period, Berberich took a Daysha Anderson corner kick and bounced it into the Knight net, and PHS took a 1-0 lead.

"We were fortunate enough to get that first goal, and that kind of kept us going," Fish said.

Palmer improved to 6-2-2 overall with the win.

Colony boys 2, Palmer 0

Colony improved to 12-1-1 with a 2-0 win over Palmer on Friday.

Jarrod Carney scored twice, to lead the Knights. Bryan Tomlinson and Bryan Peters notched assists.

Jake Williams notched his eighth shutout of the season.

Colony girls 4, Houston 0

The Knights improved to 3-8-1 with a 4-0 win over Houston on Thursday.

Megan Kenley scored a pair of goals in the win. Amy Saxon and Chrysa Meaney also scored.

Skyview boys 6, Wasilla 3

Skyview scored five goals in the second half in a 6-3 win over the Warriors on Thursday.

Aaron Bean, Vladimir Dahl and Victor Fonov scored for Wasilla.

The loss was Wasilla's first of the season.

Wasilla boys 7, Soldotna 0

The Warriors bounced back from a Thursday loss and blanked Soldotna 7-0 at Soldotna High School on Friday.

Victor Fonov scored a pair of second-half goals for 7-1-3 Wasilla.

Jeff Champion, David Kellner-Rode, Jimmy Sliwa, Vladimir Dahl and Kendall Copping also scored for the Warriors.

Wasilla girls 1, Skyview 0

Wasilla earned its first win of the season with a 1-0 win on Thursday.