Valley girls' soccer preview: Warriors eye repeat

WASILLA — Last season, the Wasilla Warriors captured their first Northern Lights Conference title during Patrick O’Neill’s run as head coach of the program. After graduating only four seniors from the championship squad, the Warriors have appeared to pick up right where they left off.

During the first stretch of the 2017 season, O’Neill has lauded the speed and skill of his players.

“It’s the most speed, the most skill we’ve had since I’ve been here,” O’Neill said recently.

The speed has been apparent all over the field, but has made a particular impact on the offensive side of the turf. Senior Ally Hull is among the leaders from the midfield forward, and one of the most versatile athletes O’Neill can use to put together his offensive attack.

“The front six are really offensive minded, three mids and three forwards,” O’Neill said. “They’re all interchangeable. We’re always going to have a strong group.”

That group also includes Abby Crawford, Alexis Friesen and freshman Reese Sande. In her first year with the program, Sande has provided an immediate impact, already netting hat tricks against Palmer, Lathrop and North Pole.

The Warriors are also led by seniors Jodie Richey, Lindsey Cizek and Alia Donley who are captains alongside Hull.

Richey is a four-year starter at center defense and Cizek is a three-year starter at left defense. Donley is playing at the stopper position, along with freshman Nicole Catlett.

“Essentially, this team is strong at every position and multiple players can play multiple positions alwas fiving us strong combinations in the field,” O’Neill said.

Four freshmen have already cracked the experienced Warriors lineup. Sande, Catlett, Kamryn Broach and Shayla Donley all start as ninth-graders for a Wasilla squad that has outscored opponents 37-6 in six games.

Donley and Hull each earned All-Northern Lights Conference honors last season. Friesen and Crawford were named second-team all-conference.

Colony Knights

The Colony Knights return after a third-place finish in the NLC tournament last year, but are back with a new coach for the first time in 25 years. Longtime Colony boys head coach Jeremy Johnson is now the head coach of both programs. Johnson replaces former girls’ head coach Lorie Miner, who retired after 25 years with the team. Johnson has been the head coach of the boys’ squad since 1995.

“I’m really excited about where they are,” Johnson said recently of the girls’ squad.

In recent years, Johnson has been able to load his boys’ schedule with Anchorage teams. Johnson said he did that with the girls as well this year, to help gauge where his team is at.

Sophomore Gabby Wakaliuk has been a top goal-scorer for the Knights early in the season. Johnson said the Knights are also led by senior midfielders Sahara Iverson and Autumn Richardson, and sophomore Mykaela McMullen.

Madison Zmuda and Ashylnn Cornelison have split time in the Knights net.

Wakaliuk earned first-team All-NLC honors for the Knights last season. Iverson and McMullen were both named second-team all-conference.

Houston Hawks

Houston is arguably the most improved girls’ program in the NLC. Last season, Houston scored its first win over a Valley opponent, beating Palmer. This year, the Hawks have already notched wins over Kodiak, Palmer and North Pole.

The Hawks may have had a rough time in the past, but third-year head coach Steve Day said things have changed for the Hawks.

“Houston has always accepted that red-headed stepchild sort of role. They expected to come out and get their butts kicked all of the time,” Day said. “That’s changing now.”

Houston narrowly missed its first NLC tournament berth in school history last season. Day said he’s pleased to see his team pick up where the Hawks left off last year, despite losing eight seniors to graduation. The Hawks did return key pieces to the puzzle, including senior Aspen Ruth.

“She’s the backbone of this whole program,” Day said. “She’s an experienced play, strong, she knows how to play.”

Ruth, who recently committed to play college soccer at Mount Mary College in South Dakota, was moved to the center backfield this year. The change was to help make up for the amount of defenders Houston lost to graduation, Day said.

“You can put her anywhere on the field and she’ll be productive,” Day said.

The Hawks are also led by center midfielder Cassie Kapuniai.

“She controls our attack,” Day said.

The Hawks also have a pair — Denali Whitted and Kyla Nicholl — who play club soccer in addition to soccer at Houston High. Nicholl is an outside midfielder on the right side and Whitted plays at forward.

Day said Jenny Morin has stepped into the goalkeeper position for the Hawks.

Palmer Moose

Palmer head coach Harmony Chadwick is looking to her 11 seniors to lead the Moose this season.

“I have a good core group of senior leaders in our captains Tiana Lee, Avery Parker and Haley Hanson,” Chadwick said by email earlier this week.

Chadwick is also excited about a pair of juniors who earned All-NLC honors last season, Kiley Fish and Dory Schneider. Chadwick said she hopes to see junior Caile Dosser and senior Gurpreet Kaur help spark the offense this year. Kaur was a second-team All-NLC selection last season.

In net, the Moose have sophomore Victoria Banks and Shaleen Tolbert, a newcomer.

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