Playing one of its best all-around games in coach Terry Swanson’s tenure, the South Whidbey High School soccer team thumped visiting Cedar Park Christian 6-0 Tuesday, Sept. 17.
“Last year’s King’s win and prior playoff victories standout with greater emotion and significance, but last night the team was playing on all cylinders for 80 minutes,” Swanson said. “Our passing was crisp, accurate and confident. Our defense was relentless on all areas of the pitch. We played all 17 of our players with many multiple positions.”
Among the 17 were four freshmen who were fully “integrated” into the action, according to Swanson. “They all played significant minutes and contributed equally with their upperclasswomen teammates.”
Cedar Park Christian’s (0-2, 2-2) only other loss this season was 1-0 to powerhouse King’s.
Sophomore Ashton Helseth got things started by looping a 45-yarder over the Eagle keeper, then freshman Elizabeth Haines struck from outside the 18.
Freshman Simone White, dribbling between two defenders, scored inside the 6-yard box, and senior Ashley Ricketts followed from close range to make it 4-0 at halftime.
“The girls came off the field extremely motivated,” Swanson said. “You could see them gelling as a team in their talk with one another at halftime.”
South Whidbey continued to dominate after the break, outshooting the Eagles 17-2.
Senior Mallory Drye moved from fullback to a forward position and scored within five minutes.
Sophomore Mikenna Wicher finished the scoring.
Senior Alison Papritz assisted on both second-half goals.
“Papritz’s final assist to Wicher is special to a team because it demonstrates unselfishness of play from a confident team leader,” Swanson said. “Papritz had a clear shot on goal herself, but she could see Wicher was in a wide open position to simply push the ball through the open goal. She made the unselfish pass, and the team was rewarded with a goal. Although it was the sixth goal, that same pass could come in a tie game in the playoffs.”
The Falcons (1-0, 3-0) hit the road for the first time this season when to go to Granite Falls (1-0, 2-2) for a 6 p.m. match Thursday, Sept. 19.
