Wasilla girls edge Colony

WASILLA — A Wasilla midseason adjustment paid off once again Monday evening against the Warriors greatest rival.

Kamryn Broach scored the lone goal in the 65th minute to lead Wasilla to a 1-0 Railbelt Conference victory over the Colony Knights at Wasilla High School.

Earlier this season, Wasilla head coach Patrick O’Neill opted to push Broach, who has spent the bulk of her playing career in the midfield, forward.

“She’s got such good one-one-one foot skills,” O’Neill said after the win. “Our back line is so good, we can afford to put more players like that up front, give us a little more of an attack.”

Midway through the second half, Reese Sande tapped a pass to Broach, who battled to maintain possession in the left side of the box. Broach ripped a shot inside the far post to give her team the lead.

“It was a beautiful shot,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill said an early-season adjustment also helped make it possible for the Warriors to move Broach forward. Early in the year, Wasilla dropped junior Abby Crawford to the back line. After scoring 27 goals as an underclassman, O’Neill said Crawford has solidified Wasilla’s back line.

“She’s big time back there,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill said Crawford has been a difference-maker this year, and praised Crawford for not only her ability to make the transition, but her willingness to switch positions.

Crawford was key again Monday, working to clear the ball as Colony attacked. Wasilla goalkeeper Aleks Kvalheim recorded her eighth shutout of the season.

“She’s so athletic, and is so much more confident now,” O’Neill said of his keeper. “She’s big time in goal for us.”

Colony head coach Jeremy Johnson said Kvalheim was a difference-maker in the match.

“Their goalkeeper did a really great job of controlling the box,” Johnson said.

Johnson said Kvalheim was particularly good when Colony had opportunities on corner kicks and direct kicks in the second half.

“She owned it,” Johnson said.

With the win, Wasilla improved to 3-1 in Railbelt Conference play. The Knights are also now 3-1. Both teams have two conference matches left this season, road games at West Valley and Lathrop. Wasilla and Colony are now tied at the top of the Railbelt. The top two teams in the conference advance to the Division I state tournament.

Colony boys blank Warriors

Colony improved to 4-0 in Railbelt play with a 5-0 win over the Wasilla boys Monday at Wasilla High.

Noah Krozel opened the scoring for Colony, scoring in the opening minutes of he match. Krozel’s younger brother Eli capped the scoring with a second-half goal.

Sullivan Menard, Kyle Dearborn and Mike Shower added goals in the win. Menard scored late in the first half. Dearborn knocked in a header during the first 30 seconds of the second half.

Knights sweep Service

Colony scored a big nonconference sweep of Service Saturday in Anchorage.

The Colony girls scored two unanswered in a 2-1 win over the Cougars. Mykaela McMullen scored the game-winner for the Knights, who trailed 1-0 early in the game. Bella Brown also scored. Cade Johnstone recorded he lone goal in a 1-0 boys win.

Both Service teams are ranked second in the Cook Inlet Conference.

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