WASILLA, COLONY OPEN SOCCER SEASONS WITH VICTORIES

Valley soccer teams got their seasons started successfully by posting several victories on Friday and Saturday at Wasilla High School and Anchorage Football Stadium.

Wasilla girls 5,

Seward 0

The Warriors opened their season with a 5-0 shutout of the visiting Seward Seahawks Friday at Veterans Memorial Field at Wasilla High School.

Goaltender Lesa Starr kept the nets free from any Seahawk shots in recording the shutout.

If the goaltending was good, the offense was great for the Warriors. Kristen Wien had two goals, while Kelly Hale, Christie Hayes and Nicole Savoie each added tallies to lead the Warriors to the victory.

Melissa Hayes notched three assists in the contest.

Wasilla boys 3,

Seward 2

The Wasilla boys soccer team opened the season with a victory by holding off the Seahawks Friday at Wasilla High school.

Wasillas Joe Rucker got the scoring started 21 minutes into the game to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead. Adam Drinkhouse gave Wasilla a two-goal lead by tallying 40 minutes into the game, but Sewards Jim Conant answered minutes later.

Following Conants goal, Wasillas Pat Maxwell gave the Warriors some breathing room by netting his first goal of the season in the 50th minute. The goal proved to be crucial because Sewards Yosafe Murphy scored in the games final 10 minutes. The Seahawks were not not able to penetrate the Wasilla defense in the closing minutes as the Warriors held on for the victory.

Wasilla girls 1,

Nikiski 1

The Warriors remained unbeaten by recording a 1-1 tie against the visiting Nikiski Bulldogs Saturday afternoon.

Nikiski scored the games first goal minutes into the second half. April Lofsted got the ball past Starr to give Nikiski a 1-0 lead, but it was the only time in the game that the Bulldogs would score.

A day after dishing out three assist, Melissa Hayes got her first goal of the season midway through the second half to pull the Warriors into a 1-1 tie with the Bulldogs. Neither team could net the game-winner as Wasilla ran its record to 1-0-1 in Region III play.

Wasilla boys 3,

Nikiski 2

For the second game in a row, Rucker gave his team the early lead in a tight contest. Against Nikiski, it took Rucker 30 minutes, but he got the games first goal again to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead Saturday at WHS.

The Warriors added to their lead in the 40th minute on John Damons penalty-kick goal. Ten minutes later, the Bulldogs cut the lead in half on a goal by David Brown.

With both teams playing one man short because of red cards, the Warriors took a 3-1 lead on Bryce Whites goal 55 minutes into the contest.

Just like Fridays game, the insurance goal turned out to be necessary, as Nikiskis Dario Johnson scored in the 75th minute to make it a one-goal game.

Colony boys 4,

Bartlett 2

The Knights, considered one of the best boys soccer teams in the state by many, opened their 1999 season with a victory against Bartlett at Anchorage Football Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Midfielder Gabe Edwards had two goals for the Knights, while Nathan Chud scored on a penalty kick for the Knights. Colony iced the game with a breakaway goal by Arnaud Maingourd.

Last year, the Knights lost 1-0 in overtime of the first round of the Alaska Invitational to a high-powered Service squad. Many of the Knights on that team are returners this season.

Dimond boys 3,

Palmer 0

The Lynx shut out the Moose in Palmers first game of the season Saturday at Anchorage Football Stadium.

Dimonds Ben Bailey scored two goals and Carlos Latora scored the Lynx final goal of the game at the 60 minute mark.