Community Notebook: Nemesis wins U-15 Challenge Cup title

The F.C. Salmon Creek Nemesis defeated their rivals in the semifinals on Saturday, then finished off a championship run with a strong defensive effort on Sunday to win a Washington Youth Soccer Challenge Cup championship in the girls under-15 age division.

By winning the state-wide tournament, the nemesis qualify to represent the state of Washington in the U.S. Youth Soccer Presidents Cup regional tournament. That tournament will be played in June in Medford, Ore.

The other local team to reach a Challenge Cup final on Sunday lost. The Columbia Timbers Blue fell 3-0 in the girls under-16 title match to an Eastside FC squad. In the girls under-17 division, F.C. Salmon Creek lost 1-0 to a Crossfire Select team.

Also on Saturday, two Columbia Timbers teams — the under-13 boys and under-14 girls — advanced to the semifinal round of the Washington Youth Soccer Championship Cup, from which winners can advance to regional and national championships.

In Sunday’s under-15 girls championship match, the Nemesis used a defensive formation to defeat a speedy side from Eastside FC of Bellevue, 3-1. A late counter-attack goal by Katya Moctezuma sealed the win.

But the real drama happened Sarday in the semifinal match between the Nemesis and the Tri-Mountain Synergy, also from Clark County.

A Nemesis goal by Kavita Battan off a pass from Khadijah Kirkland in the final minute of regulation sent the match to overtime, and the F.C. Salmon Creek side prevailed in a penalty-kick tiebreaker following overtime. Kavita Battan, Elizabeth Yankee, Samantha Wilson, and Megan Hoo converted their penalty kicks. Nemesis goalkeeper Shiori Baba stopped two Synergy kicks in the tiebreaker.

Players for the Nemisi are Shiori Baba, Kavita Battan, Bianca Caruso, Amy Glasow, Taylor Herseim, Megan Hoo, Khadijah Kirkland, Mecca Krutsinger, Mekennah Lohnes, Katya Moctezuma, Savanna Steed, Moriah Thomas, Jennifer Turkington, Alexandria Villanueva, Samantha Wilson, and Elizabeth Yankee.

Local wrestlers shine

Jake Kreglo form Brush Prairie won the 119-pound championship at the 2010 Cliff Keen Reno Worlds Wrestling Tournament this month.

The 14th annual event drew more than 2000 youth wrestlers competing in age divisions from 6 and younger through 18. Kreglo is a senior at Hockinson High School.

• Jake Rogers of the North County Bobcats of Yacolt and Tommy Strassenberg of Southwest Washington Wrestling Club of Battle Ground each finished in second place at the USA Wrestling Asics Folkstyle Kids National Tournament.

More than 2,000 wrestlers from more than 30 states took part in the tournament, held April 1-3 in in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Rogers lost 4-2 in the intermediate-level 75-pound finals to Abe Assad of Illinois. Strassenberg lost the novice-level 85-pound title to Owen Webster of Minnesota by a 4-3 score.

Volleyball trophies won

Five Clark County-based teams finished among the top eight in their age divisions at the Columbia Empire Volleyball Association regional tournament, April 17-18 in Corvallis.

The Columbia Empire region oversees about 90 volleyball clubs in Oregon and southwest Washington. The top Clark County finishers were:

• The 12-year-old team from Excel Volleyball Club tied for third, losing in the semifinals 25-9, 16-25, 15-12 to eventual champion Rose City.

Excel team members: Page Heller, Claire Baker, Spencer Riggins, Hannah LaFrazia, Kaila Robinson, Emily Jayne, Monica Orange, Christina Lundy, Ciara Milam, Sarah Kent. Coaches: Kristin Robinson, Denise Riggins, Patty Jayne.

• In the 14-year-old division, Excel finished fourth, and Clark County Juniors tied for fifth.

Excel team members: Megan LaFond, Sophie Peel, Brooke Henderson, Rachel Rice, Chelsey Cresswell, Lauren Harris, Ari Busch, Halie Hansel, Ashley Wagnild, Cassidy Bailie. Coaches: Jaymie Cox, Kalin DeRosier.

Clark County team members: Kendra Bahr, Malea Doerfler, Courtney Duval, Bailey Edwards, Brinley Hadfield, Morgan Hill, Jordan Hunter, Corinna Niebur, Shelby Swanson, Delaney Tuholski, Emelia Vail. Coaches: Andrea Doerfler, Mike Hadfield.

• In the 18-year-old division, Excel tied for fifth, and Clark County tied for seventh.

Excel team members: Amber Aguiar, Stefani Sorensen, Molly Boyle, Kiesha Kennedy, Sabrina Kragness, Samantha Cahill, Ali Hubert, Gabby Moritz, Marleen DeZoete. Coaches: Kelly Adams, Jason Hubert, Leejay Lee.

Clark County team members: Kaitlyn Tuholski, Nicole Hamilton, Aysha Johnston, Haley Wooster, Lisa Farrey, Mariah Keller, Leslie Hanks, Rachel Krueger, Shailah Ricketts. Coach: Ted Buck.

Fast start for rider

Vancouver rider Peter Lenz leads the point standings in three divisions early in the Unites States Grand Prix Racers Union motorcycle racing season. Peter, 12, won a close race in the Moriwaki MD250H classification on April 18 at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Ariz. He is the points leader in that class, as well as the 125GP class and the Moto 3 class.

Peter will next race his Moriwaki MD250H in a USGPRU event on June 19-20 at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City.

Community Sports news items may be submitted by sending e-mail to paul.danzer@columbian.com.