Chinook Soccer Alliance big winner in championship
Monday, February 16 | 10:57 p.m.
BY PAUL DANZER
COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER
It was a cool weekend for a pair of Chinook Ice girls soccer teams.
The sister teams from the Chinook Soccer Alliance went head-to-head on Sunday in Tukwila with a state championship at stake.
Playing in the youngest age group of the Washington State Youth Soccer Association Fred Meyer Commissioners’ Cup, the Chinook Ice 97 Connell team defeated the Chinook Ice 97 Kleier team, 1-0, for the title.
The advanced-competition teams for girls born in 1997 were formed through tryouts 11 months ago and are affiliated with the Eisenhower, Battle Ground and Prairie soccer clubs.
The goal for Connell was scored about 10 minutes into the championship game by defender Meleah Kainu, whose strong cross deflected off of a Kleier defender and into the back of the goal.
From there, the match was a defensive battle with Kleier goalkeeper Taylor Germer making several tough saves.
The semifinal games were played on Saturday.
The Connell team advanced with a 2-0 semifinal win over FC Shoreline Blue Flames.
The Kleier side beat Synergy FC, 3-1. The goals for Kleier were scored by Nicolle Ohama, Alissa Spies off a corner kick, and Ceilia Feroglia with a one-touch volley.
Players for the Chinook Ice 97 Kleier team were: Grayson Burke, Sarah Davidson, Ceilia Feroglia, Taylor Germer, Christina Kenoski, Sarah Kleier, Alix Kopf, Ashley Lindstrom, Nicolle Ohama, Kennedy Reed, Madison Reeves, Erin Scott, Alissa Spies, and Alexis Williams. The team was coached by Charlie Kleier, Bethann Kopf, and Michael Feroglia.
In addition to the success on the field, the Kleier team raised money to donate a new soccer ball to a youth soccer player in Africa for each of the 44 goals the team scored during its season.
Players for the champion Chinook Ice 97 Connell team were: Alissa Cash, Olivia Chan, Jorie Freitag, Savanna Gorham, Riley Gray, Madison Hamilton, Sierra Hunting, Meleah Kainu, Kendall Lujan, Jayme Reimann, Brooke Shirley, Bailey Sievers, Madison Veltkamp and Natalie Whitesel. The team was coached by Chris Connell and Courtney Connell, who were assisted by Dick Burgess.
