This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.
David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 6
Sports
NWAACC soccer season came to a close Sunday. Over the weekend, championship titles were awarded to teams.
Outstanding individual athletes and coaches were recognized and they took part in an All-Star match.
2013 NWAACC Women’s Soccer All-Stars from Clackamas were: South Region Coach of the Year Janine Szpara; South Region MVP Tori Roberts at midfield; Midfielder Claudia Flores; Defender Marci Haynes; and Keeper Melanie Trumbull. The Cougar All-Stars played for South-West in the 2-2 tie between North-East and South-West All-Star teams.
The winning women’s soccer team of the championships was Peninsula with a 2-1 victory against Edmonds on Sunday. Peninsula went undefeated in league this season.
Edmonds won their way into the final game with a victory on Saturday. That victory was a hard-fought, disappointing 1-2 loss for Clackamas. The Cougars subsequently placed third in the championships.
The ladies of Clackamas soccer are a classy and talented bunch. They were top in South Region and had an impressive season with 12-2-2 in league play. The Cougars have cause to be proud as they have proved to be one of the top teams in the league.
But luck was not on the Cougars’ side Saturday. The coin toss at the start of the game declared that Edmonds would kick off. The initial leverage of ball possession gave Edmonds a slight edge, putting Clackamas on the defensive early. Edmonds kept up the pressure.
Edmonds took a shot early in the first half that was deflected and went just wide, resulting in a corner kick. Shortly after, another Edmonds corner kick set up a header attempt that went over the Cougars’ goal.
A chill breeze and dark clouds rolled in momentarily, but the clouds passed and sun peeked back out. All-Star Claudia Florez attacked with a goal attempt that went over. The action flowed back towards the Cougars’ goal, Dija Kirkland took a hard fall while defending and a foul was called on Edmonds. Kirkland landed face-first outside the line and was down for a moment.
“She, like, kicked my ankle and I slid on the turf and twisted my ankle,” said Kirkland.
After the resulting free kick, Edmonds brought the attack back again, but Mecca Krutsinger tenaciously defended and deflected the ball. Then a corner kick by Edmonds brought a shot on goal, which Trumbull saved by smacking the ball away with both hands. Edmonds received another corner kick.
Edmonds sought another attack on goal and Trumbull showed how scrappy and resourceful she can be. With the pressure all on her, she saved multiple back-to-back, point-blank shots on goal. The Cougars used excellent teamwork and defense to stifle the attack. Trumbull was fired up. She yelled in triumph and pride for her team’s performance.
The Cougars picked up some momentum and started getting the better of the headers, defending and attacking. Towards the end of the first half, Marci Haynes showed solid defense as Edmonds attacked again. Then Edmonds shot, but it went over the goal.
The clouds returned and the sun was gone, dropping the temperature at 42 minutes on the scoreboard. As the first half neared its end, Tori Roberts took a great long shot that was just wide. It was 0-0 at halftime.
The second half began with an offside call against Clackamas. The play moved back toward Clackamas’ goal and a defensive slide tackle that looked like it hit the ball cleanly at first, was declared a foul, right outside the penalty box. Edmonds took an indirect free kick and managed to put together the first goal of the game. Clackamas was down 0-1.
Trumbull had a couple of really nice saves towards the beginning of the second half. The second attempt was a long shot that was set up by Edmonds, quickly driving up-line. On the offensive, Clackamas’ Marci Haynes intercepted and deflected an Edmonds’ pass and almost scored, but it went just wide. At 67:38 on the scoreboard, Haynes caught an assist from Roberts and scored after great teamwork and passing up-field. The score was tied 1-1.
“Tori crossed it and Marci shot and scored,” said Krutsinger
Trumbull showed more moxie and bravely challenged an attack by Edmonds, defending well. Then at 71 minutes on the scoreboard, Trumbull deftly saved a straight shot at goal. In an unfortunate turn of events, Carly Turner fouled while defending inside the Cougars’ penalty box. A direct penalty kick was awarded to Edmonds. Hannah Shouse took the kick and made it past Trumbull for her team’s second goal. Clackamas was behind 1-2.
“Defense was such a good effort, but when we messed up is when the goals happened,” said Krutsinger.
Shortly after Edmonds fouled just outside their penalty box at 75:16 on the board. Butler took the free kick straight towards goal. But Edmonds’ goalkeeper, Alecia Longsine, saved it. Tani Harr took another long shot later that was also saved. The Cougars were still battling, trying to attack and keep good defense. At 88:50 on the board, Kirkland showed more solid defense in front of the goal. A corner kick by Edmonds shortly after, turned into a shot on goal that was saved by Trumbull. Trumbull grabbed 11 saves throughout the game.
“I think it was really strong,” Flores said. “We fought all the way to the end, just couldn’t get a goal in, we couldn’t finish. We were fighting hard equally.”
The Cougars felt the sting of defeat as the match came to a close. Clackamas 1. Edmonds 2. Clackamas took third place. Edmonds lost to Peninsula Sunday and got second place.
“I thought we did good,” said Kirkland. “If we had done as good as we did against Spokane, we would have won. We tried.”
The Cougars played a strong game and had an inspiring run this season that brought them to the semifinals. Overall, they grew as a team and helped each other improve individually. Here’s to another great season turned in by the Clackamas Cougars women’s soccer team.
Outstanding individual athletes and coaches were recognized and they took part in an All-Star match.
2013 NWAACC Women’s Soccer All-Stars from Clackamas were: South Region Coach of the Year Janine Szpara; South Region MVP Tori Roberts at midfield; Midfielder Claudia Flores; Defender Marci Haynes; and Keeper Melanie Trumbull. The Cougar All-Stars played for South-West in the 2-2 tie between North-East and South-West All-Star teams.
The winning women’s soccer team of the championships was Peninsula with a 2-1 victory against Edmonds on Sunday. Peninsula went undefeated in league this season.
Edmonds won their way into the final game with a victory on Saturday. That victory was a hard-fought, disappointing 1-2 loss for Clackamas. The Cougars subsequently placed third in the championships.
The ladies of Clackamas soccer are a classy and talented bunch. They were top in South Region and had an impressive season with 12-2-2 in league play. The Cougars have cause to be proud as they have proved to be one of the top teams in the league.
But luck was not on the Cougars’ side Saturday. The coin toss at the start of the game declared that Edmonds would kick off. The initial leverage of ball possession gave Edmonds a slight edge, putting Clackamas on the defensive early. Edmonds kept up the pressure.
Edmonds took a shot early in the first half that was deflected and went just wide, resulting in a corner kick. Shortly after, another Edmonds corner kick set up a header attempt that went over the Cougars’ goal.
A chill breeze and dark clouds rolled in momentarily, but the clouds passed and sun peeked back out. All-Star Claudia Florez attacked with a goal attempt that went over. The action flowed back towards the Cougars’ goal, Dija Kirkland took a hard fall while defending and a foul was called on Edmonds. Kirkland landed face-first outside the line and was down for a moment.
“She, like, kicked my ankle and I slid on the turf and twisted my ankle,” said Kirkland.
After the resulting free kick, Edmonds brought the attack back again, but Mecca Krutsinger tenaciously defended and deflected the ball. Then a corner kick by Edmonds brought a shot on goal, which Trumbull saved by smacking the ball away with both hands. Edmonds received another corner kick.
Edmonds sought another attack on goal and Trumbull showed how scrappy and resourceful she can be. With the pressure all on her, she saved multiple back-to-back, point-blank shots on goal. The Cougars used excellent teamwork and defense to stifle the attack. Trumbull was fired up. She yelled in triumph and pride for her team’s performance.
The Cougars picked up some momentum and started getting the better of the headers, defending and attacking. Towards the end of the first half, Marci Haynes showed solid defense as Edmonds attacked again. Then Edmonds shot, but it went over the goal.
The clouds returned and the sun was gone, dropping the temperature at 42 minutes on the scoreboard. As the first half neared its end, Tori Roberts took a great long shot that was just wide. It was 0-0 at halftime.
The second half began with an offside call against Clackamas. The play moved back toward Clackamas’ goal and a defensive slide tackle that looked like it hit the ball cleanly at first, was declared a foul, right outside the penalty box. Edmonds took an indirect free kick and managed to put together the first goal of the game. Clackamas was down 0-1.
Trumbull had a couple of really nice saves towards the beginning of the second half. The second attempt was a long shot that was set up by Edmonds, quickly driving up-line. On the offensive, Clackamas’ Marci Haynes intercepted and deflected an Edmonds’ pass and almost scored, but it went just wide. At 67:38 on the scoreboard, Haynes caught an assist from Roberts and scored after great teamwork and passing up-field. The score was tied 1-1.
“Tori crossed it and Marci shot and scored,” said Krutsinger
Trumbull showed more moxie and bravely challenged an attack by Edmonds, defending well. Then at 71 minutes on the scoreboard, Trumbull deftly saved a straight shot at goal. In an unfortunate turn of events, Carly Turner fouled while defending inside the Cougars’ penalty box. A direct penalty kick was awarded to Edmonds. Hannah Shouse took the kick and made it past Trumbull for her team’s second goal. Clackamas was behind 1-2.
“Defense was such a good effort, but when we messed up is when the goals happened,” said Krutsinger.
Shortly after Edmonds fouled just outside their penalty box at 75:16 on the board. Butler took the free kick straight towards goal. But Edmonds’ goalkeeper, Alecia Longsine, saved it. Tani Harr took another long shot later that was also saved. The Cougars were still battling, trying to attack and keep good defense. At 88:50 on the board, Kirkland showed more solid defense in front of the goal. A corner kick by Edmonds shortly after, turned into a shot on goal that was saved by Trumbull. Trumbull grabbed 11 saves throughout the game.
“I think it was really strong,” Flores said. “We fought all the way to the end, just couldn’t get a goal in, we couldn’t finish. We were fighting hard equally.”
The Cougars felt the sting of defeat as the match came to a close. Clackamas 1. Edmonds 2. Clackamas took third place. Edmonds lost to Peninsula Sunday and got second place.
“I thought we did good,” said Kirkland. “If we had done as good as we did against Spokane, we would have won. We tried.”
The Cougars played a strong game and had an inspiring run this season that brought them to the semifinals. Overall, they grew as a team and helped each other improve individually. Here’s to another great season turned in by the Clackamas Cougars women’s soccer team.
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