The Homer girls and boys soccer teams dominated host Nikiski in Saturday's Northern Lights Conference action.
The Mariners' women's team won 3-0, improving to 2-1-1 in league play and 5-2-2 overall, while the Bulldogs improved to 0-5-0, 1-7-0. It went down in minutes. The Homer Boys won 6-0 and moved to 3-1-0 and 5-2-1, while Nikiski was 0-5-0 and 1-7-0.
This will be the third time the Homer and Nikiski women's teams have met this season, with the Mariners winning 4-0 and 7-0 in the previous games.
“Every year they come out to the same spot, but they've never played on the field because the field isn't plowed,” said Angie Coelho, Nikiski's fourth-year coach. “Then we'll reduce the score little by little.”
Although the Bulldogs don't have turf fields like Kenai, Soldotna or Homer, Nikiski was able to qualify for state for the first time in school history last season.
“We've done a really great job of improving throughout the year,” Coelho said. “And now our eyes are on that wild-card prize. We want that statehood.
“We want this whole region to play again, which is unbelievable. But we have to get some wins and practice and get through some teams. No.”
One area where Nikiski has been consistent is at goaltending with Emma Weeks. Homer coach Mike Tozzo held his team to 18 shots on goal.
“I feel like I haven’t been able to get back to that level of play since the first game of the year against Kenai,” Tozzo said. “I don't know what it is. Nothing has changed. We're not using a different lineup. People aren't getting hurt.
“What we’re looking for is some consistency.”
Lou Wise started the scoring with a homer in the 17th minute, converting a corner kick from Talia Weisser.
In the 45th minute, Wise kicked the ball out to Lily King in the corner of the box. King scored a goal with a nice shot.
Addie Grimes scored in the 79th minute with an assist from her twin sister Emma Grimes. According to Tozzo, Adi usually plays defense, but Tozzo was looking for a player who wanted to score extra points.
“I thought we could have made better use of the space we were given,” Tozzo said. “We connected on quite a few passes and communicated pretty well.”
The coach said Kavindra Johnson and Lily King played well on the back line and contributed to Christy Weisser's shutout.
“I really appreciated how they tried to switch fields and play back to the goalie pretty often and did it calmly,” Tozzo said.
Coach Coelho said the whole team played well, but added that Millie Hornung and Madi Iyatunguk stood out by playing the entire game in midfield.
“There's a certain roughness about them,” Coelho said. “They go and fight for the ball.”
With big games coming up this week, Coelho said scoring goals will be key. Nikiski lost his leading scorer position a year ago, so this season's scoring will be by committee.
“Every season we learn and grow,” Coelho said. “I hope that something actually comes together eventually.”
Homer Boys 6, Nikiski 0
The Mariners defeated the Bulldogs by scoring three points in each half.
In the first half, Reid Roush hit a great left-footed volley off a setup from Beau Miller, Lucas Storey scored without an assist, and Kaiden Bogie scored on a penalty kick.
In the second half, Rauch scored with an assist from Brady Seeley, Bogey scored with an assist from Spencer Dye, and Espen Hennick scored with an assist from Elise Lorenz.
Walden Krasheski and Nathan Overson shared the shutout in net.
“There's always an opportunity to work on moving the ball quickly and exploiting space,” Homer coach Kenneth Schneider said. “They play a little bit different football than other teams on the peninsula, so we have to figure out how to maintain our style of play within that structure.”
Nikiski coach Horst Haunold was proud of his team's effort. The Bulldogs had no subs.
“They didn't give up today,” Haunold said. “In the last few games, there were a few games where I thought, “Oh, I'm pathetic.''
“That didn't happen today. We talked a lot before the game.”
Haunold said several Bulldogs were in attendance for Saturday's first game, and the team had 11 players practice recently.
“Today was a team effort,” he said. “They stopped arguing with each other, talked it out, and took a few chances.”
Soldotna Girls 4, Grace Christian 0
The visiting Stars won Saturday's nonconference game to improve to 8-0-1 overall.
Ryan Queen gave Sohee a clean sheet.
The goal was scored by Morgan Lehm with help from Sadie Lane, Emily O'Regan with assists from Lem and Bey Bloom, Lem's corner kick was converted by Bey Bloom, and Grayson Henry with help from Rowan Peck and O'Regan. decided.
Soldotna Boys 6, Grace Christian 2
The Stars went on the road Saturday with a non-conference win and improved to 8-0-1 overall.
Andrew Arthur had a hat trick in the first 25 minutes, with assists from Geret Medkoff, Simon Willetts and Jace O'Regan.
Willets then scored in the 28th minute, Zach Buckby scored in the 37th minute, and Nuno Venturi scored in the 47th minute off an assist from Willets.
Kenai Girls 3, Ketchikan 0
The host Cardinals defeated the Kings in non-conference action on Saturday to improve to 8-2-1.
Brynen Hanson scored the first goal in the 22nd minute off a cross from Savannah Hershberger.
Kenai's next goal came in the 72nd minute, when Kylie Verkeilen received the ball in midfield, dribbled up the field and slotted the ball into the left corner of the goal.
In the 77th minute, Hanson finished the scoring with an unassisted goal.
Kenai coach Dan Verkeilen wrote in a text message that Maddie Malone found the net consistently to contribute to the shutout victory.
Verkeiren also wrote that the Cards are missing two starting midfielders, but have been supplemented by Abby Castillo, Evelyn Cooper, Tate Cooper and Hershberger.
Coach Verkeilen wrote that his daughter Kylie controlled the midfield, with Kate Wisniewski, Grace Beiser, Shauna Swanson and Alexis Taylor playing great defense.
Ketchikan Boys 3, Kenai 2
With Saturday's nonconference loss, the host Cardinals dropped to 6-4-0 overall.
Sawyer Bunn and Zane James both scored for Kenai. Kenai coach Shane Lopez said the Kings scored on two penalty kicks and a free kick.
Homer's Goldie Hill and Nikiski's Maddy Iyatunguk compete for the ball at Nikiski Middle School on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by: Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski goalie Kevin Love steals the ball from homer Kaiden Bogie before he takes a header at Nikiski Junior High School on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Herminiak/Clarion Peninsula)
Homer's Reid Rausch dribbles against Nikiski's Seth Payne and Gavin Carmody at Nikiski Middle School on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Herminiak/Clarion Peninsula)
Nikiski's Johnny Ralston dribbles against Homer's Espen Hennick on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at Nikiski Junior High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Herminiak/Clarion Peninsula)
Homer's Talia Weiser dribbles against Nikiski's Zoe Ellis on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at Nikiski Middle School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Herminiak/Clarion Peninsula)
