Current Section
Recent Juniors 03/04 North News
Solar SURVIVES Spirit, 4-3
By Sean Reed
September 10th, 2011
Spirit RED vs. Solar Kennington
Sunday signaled the beginning of the 2011 Fall Super Development League (SDL) season and Texas Spirit North '04 couldn't have asked for a tougher opponent; Solar-Kennington. Undefeated during spring SDL, Solar-Kennington is either the very best '04 squad in all of Dallas, or no worse than second best, depending on whom you ask. In their last dance with Solar, Team Spirit lost convincingly, 4-1. This Sunday, the tally was 4-3 and though Solar came out on top once again, they were undoubtedly pushed to the brink of defeat.
The 1-2 punch of Skye Leach and Deucee Reed proved to be quite difficult for Solar to contain, all game long. Deucee dribbled to the left corner and sent a pass to Skye (near the middle of Solar's goalie box), who narrowly missed a shot on goal. Moments later, Skye retrieved a ball on Spirit's side of the field, dribbled to the same left corner, drew the defense to her and made a perfect pass to Deucee, for the Red's first score of the day. Not long afterwards, Skye dribbled left side yet again and guess what; she hit Deucee with a perfect pass, in scoring position, and the goal was converted. Minutes into the match, it was 2-0, Spirit!
The concerned voices of Solar parents offered up worried words of encouragement as they were clearly on the ropes. But Solar's so highly regarded for a reason and they didn't panic. After not one but two diving saves from Katrina Voight, and a sweep by Marianne Baltmanis, Solar scored two goals within a matter of seconds. Then a handball penalty against Team Spirit resulted in a 3-2 deficit. They continued to pressure the Red's defense, but Avery Schneider made two clutch sweeps of potential scores. Deucee scratched, clawed and fought her way thru Solar's defense to tie the score at halftime, 3-3.
The game got alot more physical in the 2nd half and there were some shaky calls and no-calls from the official. The Spirit fell behind 4-3, but still felt a victory was within reach. Skye intercepted a Solar goal kick and just missed putting it thru the back on the net. Katrina competed very hard as well, challenging the defense. Carlie Krueger did a great job between the pipes, in the second half and Kaitlyn Williams literally made a goal saving block of the ball with her head. SDL doesn't give out consolation prizes, nor do they tabulate near wins, but a 4-3 loss to a team of Solar-Kennington's caliber is a "feather" in the proverbial cap for sure.
Texas Spirit North-GRAY vs. Solar Kennington - White
After finishing first in Spring SDL, ranked number one in Division 3, Texas Spirit North '04's Gray team began Fall's foray with a 4-3 win over Solar-Kennigton's White squad. Playing defender, the ever aggressive McKenna Leach made some early sweeps and drew a goal saving penalty. The ensuing kick was missed. Annika Mortensen showcased some deft dribbling and there was a goal saver by Avery Schneider, who blocked a potential scoring kick with her body. Marianne Baltmanis was a force to be reckoned with, defensively. She cleared everything that came to her side of the field and on one occasion, controlled the ball and sent it up field to Deucee Reed, for a 1-0 lead. Kara Rogers drew a penalty, but the kick was unsuccessful. After a few lapses near our own goal, Solar found themselves ahead at halftime, 2-1.
Avery's tenacity drew a penalty kick, early in the second half, and Deucee tied the score, but a questionable infraction called against the Gray's resulted in a 3-2 deficit. Isabella Rohlik blocked a shot on goal with her legs and Kayde "K-Dub" Weiland nearly tied the score. From Solar's goal, Katrina Voight pursued the ball to the middle of the field, controlled it, dribbled the entire half length back and launched a shot into the net, to tie the game. Carlie Kruger made some tremendous saves between the pipes, a couple of them in heavy traffic. Sarah Brock and Annika each had attempts, then Deucee stole a goal kick and punched it in, to seal the win for Team Spirit, 4-3.
RUNNER UP at the Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament
By Sean Reed
From Friday, September 2nd thru Sunday, September 4th, Texas Spirit North ’04 took part in the 31st annual Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament. Here’s a recap of how it all unfolded.
Spirit vs. the Rowdies
Team Spirit began tournament play Friday evening at Lake Park, against their old Super Development League (SDL) nemesis, the Rowdies (aka, Dallas Texans-Bennett). The Rowdies have fielded one of the best '04 teams in the Metroplex, over the last several seasons, and they've always been a measuring stick of sorts for our girls.
The Spirit dominated the first half in all areas. Skye Leach repeatedly dribbled thru the Rowdies defense, made several sharp passes, had a couple shots on goal and eventually registered the first points of the day. Ally Richardson had her fair share of scoring opportunities as well and Deucee Reed was great defensively. Avery Schneider was very energetic and aggressive throughout, often winning shoulder to shoulder battles and producing breakaway attempts. Raegan "Mojito" Standifer had a breakaway of her own, but was fouled from behind. Deucee converted the penalty kick into a 2-0 halftime lead for Team Spirit.
Despite a huge save by Avery and a few coast to coast dribbling displays on her part, the lead decreased to 2-1. Again, the clearly inspired Avery took a ball from a Rowdie and dribbled the length of the field, only this time she uprooted the goalie. It was like watching a powerful NFL running back blast thru a hapless cornerback. After the collision, the ball rolled aimlessly, Skye and Katrina Voight had chances at it, but neither cashed in. A couple defensive lapses lead to another score for the opposition and 2-2 would prove to be the final tally.
In hindsight, Team Spirit looked like the better team for most of the game and even held the Rowdies scoreless in the first half. A defensive mistake or two was advantageous for them and directly resulted in points. Errors come back to bite you, when you're playing against one of the better squads in the area.
Spirit vs. Dallas Texans- Davis
Day 2 of the Bob Wiseman Tournament commenced at Lake Park, where the Spirit faced Dallas Texans-Davis. Raegan “Mojito” Standifer, who would prove to be quite adept at drawing penalties, penetrated the Texans defense and was tripped from behind. Avery Schneider just missed the rebound of the penalty kick. Deucee Reed and Marianne Baltmanis cleared everything in sight and Deucee sent one up field to Skye Leach, who scored from the right side. Katrina Voight was stingy between the pipes, literally giving up nothing, while showcasing some nice dropkicks in the process. Though up 1-0 at the half, Team Spirit lacked cohesion and aggression from their midfielders and forwards, but that would change.
In the 2nd, Skye passed to Raegan for a shot that was blocked. After another attempt by Raegan, Katie Loddeke placed her in position to score, until she was fouled from behind. Skye drilled the penalty kick for a 2-0 Spirit lead. Though slight in stature, Raegan showed lots of toughness by drawing yet another penalty against the Texans. Piñatas have been beaten on less than Raegan was in this game, but she never complained. Relieved of goalie duties for the 2nd half, Katrina shot a pass across field to Katie, who scored. In the very next sequence, Katie battled the length of the field with a several Texans, before punching in her second goal of the day. Still in the zone, Katie won another ball, executed a lovely step over, passed to Avery (who missed), only to have the rebound knocked into the net by Kayde Weiland; 5-0 Spirit! After a penalty kick of Katrina’s hit the left post, Katie got her third points of the game. All told, Katie not only registered a hat trick, she got the job done in a single half!
Spirit vs. Solar Red Crushers
Team Spirit showed up Sunday morning at Railroad Park needing only to beat the Crusher's to advance to Sunday evening’s championship game, and they did, winning 4-2. Literally, all six goals were notched in the first half of play and all four of the Spirit's points were courtesy of Deucee Reed's right foot. Beyond scoring, Team Spirit crushed Solar on their end of the field as Katrina Voight, Skye Leach and Carlie Krueger all had repeated shots on goal. Avery Schneider had a very nifty pull back near the backline of the Crusher's goal, which she booted to the middle of their box. Katrina cleared and dribbled the length of the field on one occasion and Ally Richardson passed to the middle, meeting Raegan "Mojito" Standifer, who barely missed scoring. To put the level of dominance into perspective, Solar had a grand total of zero shots on goal for the entirety of the second half.
Spirit vs. the Rowdies II
It was inevitable that Team Spirit would cross paths with the Rowdies and collectively, the players and parents looked forward to the opportunity. The feeling was that we had let them off the hook, Friday evening. But with the Bob Wiseman tournament championship at stake, we all found out what a difference two days can make.
With a strong wind to their backs, the Rowdies played very aggressively in the first half. Coach Peter Polichetti started a very strong defensive line-up, consisting of Marianne Baltmanis, Kaitlyn Williams and Deucee Reed, to offset the heavy breeze. Nonetheless, most of the action was waged on Team Spirit's defensive end of the field and balls consequently wound up in the back of our net. Katrina Voight fended off many attempts and executed some nice dropkicks (into the wind), but there were just too many shots being fired at her. Skye Leach dribbled well, at one point taking the ball to the left corner and sending a pass across the middle, to Ally Richardson. In another sequence, Ally chased down a Rowdie, took her ball, and sent a pass upfield to Raegan "Mojito" Standifer. Despite this, the Spirit found themselves on the wrong end of the score at halftime, 3-0.
In the second half, a near breakaway by Deucee drew a penalty, but Skye couldn't convert the kick. Marianne cleared several balls and there was a constant array of hustle from Katrina and Avery Schneider. Katrina swung and missed on a rebounded Spirit shot, and on the other end, Kayde Weiland made a goal saving sweep. The end result wasn’t easy to swallow, but when it was all said and done, the Rowdies just wanted it more, taking first place in the Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament by a score of 4-0.
|
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!! By Sean Reed, August 27th, 2011 Splendidly written and sang by Freddie Mercury, comically butchered by Dirk Nowitzki, "We are the Champions" now applies to yours truly, the Texas Spirit North '04 squad. On Saturday afternoon, our favorite soccer team brought home the 2011 Blue Sky summer indoor championship in the U7-U8 girls division, forever removing the stench of losing the 2010 winter league finale (after going undefeated during the regular season, no less). It certainly wasn't easy, but then again, anything worth having rarely is. The capable foe was the talented Wildcats U8, who had split two earlier meetings with Team Spirit. The atmosphere was intense, both teams played their little hearts out and parents were animated and on the edge of their seats. If there was any doubt the Wildcats came to win, that notion was quickly quelled, as they took a 1-0 lead very early in the game. On the other end, Katie Loddeke kept a ball alive in the opposing box and took a shot on goal, which Deucee Reed rebounded for a score. But seemingly seconds later, the Wildcats broke the tie, 2-1. Without question, they started faster, were more aggressive and Team Spirit had to find a way to match their intensity. They found it on the defensive end; there were several sweeps by Carlie Krueger and Kaitlyn Williams and Marianne Baltmanis was absolutely ridiculous. She was a genuine nuisance to the Wildcats and her speed was a major factor in offsetting their scoring opportunities. Another crucial element was the play of McKenna Leach, who had a fire lit under her a few weeks ago and has done nothing to dull that flame since. She cleared a ball and dribbled it the majority of the field. Moments later, the Wildcats goalie retrieved an attempt outside the box and a penalty kick ensued. With her game face in full effect, McKenna (who was celebrating her 8th birthday today) confidently took the kick and placed it into the back of the net for a 2-2 tie. Undoubtedly, it was a pivotal moment in the game and though the score was even, you could sense the tide had slightly shifted, going into the half. A header by Carlie was followed by a shot on goal by Katrina Voight. Marianne's defensive excellence continued to frustrate the Wildcats and after awhile, Team Spirit kept the ball on their side of the field more than the Wildcats would've liked. Raegan "Mojito" Standifer made the Wildcats pay for this, giving the Spirit its first lead of the day, 3-2. The lead would be short lived though, after a shot invaded our net. Both teams battled fiercely and took numerous shots on goal, flirting with scoring. From the defender spot, Deucee tracked down the ball and dribbled up-field for a potential breakaway attempt, when she was fouled and knocked down from behind. From somewhere between the Wildcats goalie box and the middle of the field, Deucee booted the penalty kick well over the heads of the Wildcats human wall and into the net. 4-3, Spirit! Team Spirit parents anxiously looked at the clock and counted down the seconds in the waning moments. When the final horn sounded, McKenna was acknowledged with a rendition of "Happy Birthday". In a touching gesture, each member of the team took turns signing the championship t-shirt of the other and the entire squad went to Braum’s to celebrate over ice cream. Kudos to Ally Richardson, Avery Schneider, Kayde Weiland, Isabella Rohlik, Annika Mortensen and Sarah Brock, on contributing to the championship winning effort. Way to go, girls! "We are Red, we are White, we are ready for a Fight. Go Spirit!" |
OMG!!
- 08/24/2011, 8:08pm (CST)
VENGEANCE is Ours!!
- 08/23/2011, 6:52pm (CST)
SPIRIT Outstrikes the Lightning 9-2
- 08/04/2011, 9:00pm (CST)
SPIRIT Rolls 11-0
- 08/04/2011, 12:37am (CST)
Moral Victory
- 08/02/2011, 4:34pm (CST)
Recent Juniors 03/04 North News
Solar SURVIVES Spirit, 4-3
By Sean Reed
September 10th, 2011
Spirit RED vs. Solar Kennington
Sunday signaled the beginning of the 2011 Fall Super Development League (SDL) season and Texas Spirit North '04 couldn't have asked for a tougher opponent; Solar-Kennington. Undefeated during spring SDL, Solar-Kennington is either the very best '04 squad in all of Dallas, or no worse than second best, depending on whom you ask. In their last dance with Solar, Team Spirit lost convincingly, 4-1. This Sunday, the tally was 4-3 and though Solar came out on top once again, they were undoubtedly pushed to the brink of defeat.
The 1-2 punch of Skye Leach and Deucee Reed proved to be quite difficult for Solar to contain, all game long. Deucee dribbled to the left corner and sent a pass to Skye (near the middle of Solar's goalie box), who narrowly missed a shot on goal. Moments later, Skye retrieved a ball on Spirit's side of the field, dribbled to the same left corner, drew the defense to her and made a perfect pass to Deucee, for the Red's first score of the day. Not long afterwards, Skye dribbled left side yet again and guess what; she hit Deucee with a perfect pass, in scoring position, and the goal was converted. Minutes into the match, it was 2-0, Spirit!
The concerned voices of Solar parents offered up worried words of encouragement as they were clearly on the ropes. But Solar's so highly regarded for a reason and they didn't panic. After not one but two diving saves from Katrina Voight, and a sweep by Marianne Baltmanis, Solar scored two goals within a matter of seconds. Then a handball penalty against Team Spirit resulted in a 3-2 deficit. They continued to pressure the Red's defense, but Avery Schneider made two clutch sweeps of potential scores. Deucee scratched, clawed and fought her way thru Solar's defense to tie the score at halftime, 3-3.
The game got alot more physical in the 2nd half and there were some shaky calls and no-calls from the official. The Spirit fell behind 4-3, but still felt a victory was within reach. Skye intercepted a Solar goal kick and just missed putting it thru the back on the net. Katrina competed very hard as well, challenging the defense. Carlie Krueger did a great job between the pipes, in the second half and Kaitlyn Williams literally made a goal saving block of the ball with her head. SDL doesn't give out consolation prizes, nor do they tabulate near wins, but a 4-3 loss to a team of Solar-Kennington's caliber is a "feather" in the proverbial cap for sure.
Texas Spirit North-GRAY vs. Solar Kennington - White
After finishing first in Spring SDL, ranked number one in Division 3, Texas Spirit North '04's Gray team began Fall's foray with a 4-3 win over Solar-Kennigton's White squad. Playing defender, the ever aggressive McKenna Leach made some early sweeps and drew a goal saving penalty. The ensuing kick was missed. Annika Mortensen showcased some deft dribbling and there was a goal saver by Avery Schneider, who blocked a potential scoring kick with her body. Marianne Baltmanis was a force to be reckoned with, defensively. She cleared everything that came to her side of the field and on one occasion, controlled the ball and sent it up field to Deucee Reed, for a 1-0 lead. Kara Rogers drew a penalty, but the kick was unsuccessful. After a few lapses near our own goal, Solar found themselves ahead at halftime, 2-1.
Avery's tenacity drew a penalty kick, early in the second half, and Deucee tied the score, but a questionable infraction called against the Gray's resulted in a 3-2 deficit. Isabella Rohlik blocked a shot on goal with her legs and Kayde "K-Dub" Weiland nearly tied the score. From Solar's goal, Katrina Voight pursued the ball to the middle of the field, controlled it, dribbled the entire half length back and launched a shot into the net, to tie the game. Carlie Kruger made some tremendous saves between the pipes, a couple of them in heavy traffic. Sarah Brock and Annika each had attempts, then Deucee stole a goal kick and punched it in, to seal the win for Team Spirit, 4-3.
RUNNER UP at the Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament
By Sean Reed
From Friday, September 2nd thru Sunday, September 4th, Texas Spirit North ’04 took part in the 31st annual Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament. Here’s a recap of how it all unfolded.
Spirit vs. the Rowdies
Team Spirit began tournament play Friday evening at Lake Park, against their old Super Development League (SDL) nemesis, the Rowdies (aka, Dallas Texans-Bennett). The Rowdies have fielded one of the best '04 teams in the Metroplex, over the last several seasons, and they've always been a measuring stick of sorts for our girls.
The Spirit dominated the first half in all areas. Skye Leach repeatedly dribbled thru the Rowdies defense, made several sharp passes, had a couple shots on goal and eventually registered the first points of the day. Ally Richardson had her fair share of scoring opportunities as well and Deucee Reed was great defensively. Avery Schneider was very energetic and aggressive throughout, often winning shoulder to shoulder battles and producing breakaway attempts. Raegan "Mojito" Standifer had a breakaway of her own, but was fouled from behind. Deucee converted the penalty kick into a 2-0 halftime lead for Team Spirit.
Despite a huge save by Avery and a few coast to coast dribbling displays on her part, the lead decreased to 2-1. Again, the clearly inspired Avery took a ball from a Rowdie and dribbled the length of the field, only this time she uprooted the goalie. It was like watching a powerful NFL running back blast thru a hapless cornerback. After the collision, the ball rolled aimlessly, Skye and Katrina Voight had chances at it, but neither cashed in. A couple defensive lapses lead to another score for the opposition and 2-2 would prove to be the final tally.
In hindsight, Team Spirit looked like the better team for most of the game and even held the Rowdies scoreless in the first half. A defensive mistake or two was advantageous for them and directly resulted in points. Errors come back to bite you, when you're playing against one of the better squads in the area.
Spirit vs. Dallas Texans- Davis
Day 2 of the Bob Wiseman Tournament commenced at Lake Park, where the Spirit faced Dallas Texans-Davis. Raegan “Mojito” Standifer, who would prove to be quite adept at drawing penalties, penetrated the Texans defense and was tripped from behind. Avery Schneider just missed the rebound of the penalty kick. Deucee Reed and Marianne Baltmanis cleared everything in sight and Deucee sent one up field to Skye Leach, who scored from the right side. Katrina Voight was stingy between the pipes, literally giving up nothing, while showcasing some nice dropkicks in the process. Though up 1-0 at the half, Team Spirit lacked cohesion and aggression from their midfielders and forwards, but that would change.
In the 2nd, Skye passed to Raegan for a shot that was blocked. After another attempt by Raegan, Katie Loddeke placed her in position to score, until she was fouled from behind. Skye drilled the penalty kick for a 2-0 Spirit lead. Though slight in stature, Raegan showed lots of toughness by drawing yet another penalty against the Texans. Piñatas have been beaten on less than Raegan was in this game, but she never complained. Relieved of goalie duties for the 2nd half, Katrina shot a pass across field to Katie, who scored. In the very next sequence, Katie battled the length of the field with a several Texans, before punching in her second goal of the day. Still in the zone, Katie won another ball, executed a lovely step over, passed to Avery (who missed), only to have the rebound knocked into the net by Kayde Weiland; 5-0 Spirit! After a penalty kick of Katrina’s hit the left post, Katie got her third points of the game. All told, Katie not only registered a hat trick, she got the job done in a single half!
Spirit vs. Solar Red Crushers
Team Spirit showed up Sunday morning at Railroad Park needing only to beat the Crusher's to advance to Sunday evening’s championship game, and they did, winning 4-2. Literally, all six goals were notched in the first half of play and all four of the Spirit's points were courtesy of Deucee Reed's right foot. Beyond scoring, Team Spirit crushed Solar on their end of the field as Katrina Voight, Skye Leach and Carlie Krueger all had repeated shots on goal. Avery Schneider had a very nifty pull back near the backline of the Crusher's goal, which she booted to the middle of their box. Katrina cleared and dribbled the length of the field on one occasion and Ally Richardson passed to the middle, meeting Raegan "Mojito" Standifer, who barely missed scoring. To put the level of dominance into perspective, Solar had a grand total of zero shots on goal for the entirety of the second half.
Spirit vs. the Rowdies II
It was inevitable that Team Spirit would cross paths with the Rowdies and collectively, the players and parents looked forward to the opportunity. The feeling was that we had let them off the hook, Friday evening. But with the Bob Wiseman tournament championship at stake, we all found out what a difference two days can make.
With a strong wind to their backs, the Rowdies played very aggressively in the first half. Coach Peter Polichetti started a very strong defensive line-up, consisting of Marianne Baltmanis, Kaitlyn Williams and Deucee Reed, to offset the heavy breeze. Nonetheless, most of the action was waged on Team Spirit's defensive end of the field and balls consequently wound up in the back of our net. Katrina Voight fended off many attempts and executed some nice dropkicks (into the wind), but there were just too many shots being fired at her. Skye Leach dribbled well, at one point taking the ball to the left corner and sending a pass across the middle, to Ally Richardson. In another sequence, Ally chased down a Rowdie, took her ball, and sent a pass upfield to Raegan "Mojito" Standifer. Despite this, the Spirit found themselves on the wrong end of the score at halftime, 3-0.
In the second half, a near breakaway by Deucee drew a penalty, but Skye couldn't convert the kick. Marianne cleared several balls and there was a constant array of hustle from Katrina and Avery Schneider. Katrina swung and missed on a rebounded Spirit shot, and on the other end, Kayde Weiland made a goal saving sweep. The end result wasn’t easy to swallow, but when it was all said and done, the Rowdies just wanted it more, taking first place in the Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament by a score of 4-0.
|
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!! By Sean Reed, August 27th, 2011 Splendidly written and sang by Freddie Mercury, comically butchered by Dirk Nowitzki, "We are the Champions" now applies to yours truly, the Texas Spirit North '04 squad. On Saturday afternoon, our favorite soccer team brought home the 2011 Blue Sky summer indoor championship in the U7-U8 girls division, forever removing the stench of losing the 2010 winter league finale (after going undefeated during the regular season, no less). It certainly wasn't easy, but then again, anything worth having rarely is. The capable foe was the talented Wildcats U8, who had split two earlier meetings with Team Spirit. The atmosphere was intense, both teams played their little hearts out and parents were animated and on the edge of their seats. If there was any doubt the Wildcats came to win, that notion was quickly quelled, as they took a 1-0 lead very early in the game. On the other end, Katie Loddeke kept a ball alive in the opposing box and took a shot on goal, which Deucee Reed rebounded for a score. But seemingly seconds later, the Wildcats broke the tie, 2-1. Without question, they started faster, were more aggressive and Team Spirit had to find a way to match their intensity. They found it on the defensive end; there were several sweeps by Carlie Krueger and Kaitlyn Williams and Marianne Baltmanis was absolutely ridiculous. She was a genuine nuisance to the Wildcats and her speed was a major factor in offsetting their scoring opportunities. Another crucial element was the play of McKenna Leach, who had a fire lit under her a few weeks ago and has done nothing to dull that flame since. She cleared a ball and dribbled it the majority of the field. Moments later, the Wildcats goalie retrieved an attempt outside the box and a penalty kick ensued. With her game face in full effect, McKenna (who was celebrating her 8th birthday today) confidently took the kick and placed it into the back of the net for a 2-2 tie. Undoubtedly, it was a pivotal moment in the game and though the score was even, you could sense the tide had slightly shifted, going into the half. A header by Carlie was followed by a shot on goal by Katrina Voight. Marianne's defensive excellence continued to frustrate the Wildcats and after awhile, Team Spirit kept the ball on their side of the field more than the Wildcats would've liked. Raegan "Mojito" Standifer made the Wildcats pay for this, giving the Spirit its first lead of the day, 3-2. The lead would be short lived though, after a shot invaded our net. Both teams battled fiercely and took numerous shots on goal, flirting with scoring. From the defender spot, Deucee tracked down the ball and dribbled up-field for a potential breakaway attempt, when she was fouled and knocked down from behind. From somewhere between the Wildcats goalie box and the middle of the field, Deucee booted the penalty kick well over the heads of the Wildcats human wall and into the net. 4-3, Spirit! Team Spirit parents anxiously looked at the clock and counted down the seconds in the waning moments. When the final horn sounded, McKenna was acknowledged with a rendition of "Happy Birthday". In a touching gesture, each member of the team took turns signing the championship t-shirt of the other and the entire squad went to Braum’s to celebrate over ice cream. Kudos to Ally Richardson, Avery Schneider, Kayde Weiland, Isabella Rohlik, Annika Mortensen and Sarah Brock, on contributing to the championship winning effort. Way to go, girls! "We are Red, we are White, we are ready for a Fight. Go Spirit!" |
OMG!!
- 08/24/2011, 8:08pm (CST)
VENGEANCE is Ours!!
- 08/23/2011, 6:52pm (CST)
SPIRIT Outstrikes the Lightning 9-2
- 08/04/2011, 9:00pm (CST)
SPIRIT Rolls 11-0
- 08/04/2011, 12:37am (CST)
Moral Victory
- 08/02/2011, 4:34pm (CST)
Recent Juniors 03/04 North News
Solar SURVIVES Spirit, 4-3
By Sean Reed
September 10th, 2011
Spirit RED vs. Solar Kennington
Sunday signaled the beginning of the 2011 Fall Super Development League (SDL) season and Texas Spirit North '04 couldn't have asked for a tougher opponent; Solar-Kennington. Undefeated during spring SDL, Solar-Kennington is either the very best '04 squad in all of Dallas, or no worse than second best, depending on whom you ask. In their last dance with Solar, Team Spirit lost convincingly, 4-1. This Sunday, the tally was 4-3 and though Solar came out on top once again, they were undoubtedly pushed to the brink of defeat.
The 1-2 punch of Skye Leach and Deucee Reed proved to be quite difficult for Solar to contain, all game long. Deucee dribbled to the left corner and sent a pass to Skye (near the middle of Solar's goalie box), who narrowly missed a shot on goal. Moments later, Skye retrieved a ball on Spirit's side of the field, dribbled to the same left corner, drew the defense to her and made a perfect pass to Deucee, for the Red's first score of the day. Not long afterwards, Skye dribbled left side yet again and guess what; she hit Deucee with a perfect pass, in scoring position, and the goal was converted. Minutes into the match, it was 2-0, Spirit!
The concerned voices of Solar parents offered up worried words of encouragement as they were clearly on the ropes. But Solar's so highly regarded for a reason and they didn't panic. After not one but two diving saves from Katrina Voight, and a sweep by Marianne Baltmanis, Solar scored two goals within a matter of seconds. Then a handball penalty against Team Spirit resulted in a 3-2 deficit. They continued to pressure the Red's defense, but Avery Schneider made two clutch sweeps of potential scores. Deucee scratched, clawed and fought her way thru Solar's defense to tie the score at halftime, 3-3.
The game got alot more physical in the 2nd half and there were some shaky calls and no-calls from the official. The Spirit fell behind 4-3, but still felt a victory was within reach. Skye intercepted a Solar goal kick and just missed putting it thru the back on the net. Katrina competed very hard as well, challenging the defense. Carlie Krueger did a great job between the pipes, in the second half and Kaitlyn Williams literally made a goal saving block of the ball with her head. SDL doesn't give out consolation prizes, nor do they tabulate near wins, but a 4-3 loss to a team of Solar-Kennington's caliber is a "feather" in the proverbial cap for sure.
Texas Spirit North-GRAY vs. Solar Kennington - White
After finishing first in Spring SDL, ranked number one in Division 3, Texas Spirit North '04's Gray team began Fall's foray with a 4-3 win over Solar-Kennigton's White squad. Playing defender, the ever aggressive McKenna Leach made some early sweeps and drew a goal saving penalty. The ensuing kick was missed. Annika Mortensen showcased some deft dribbling and there was a goal saver by Avery Schneider, who blocked a potential scoring kick with her body. Marianne Baltmanis was a force to be reckoned with, defensively. She cleared everything that came to her side of the field and on one occasion, controlled the ball and sent it up field to Deucee Reed, for a 1-0 lead. Kara Rogers drew a penalty, but the kick was unsuccessful. After a few lapses near our own goal, Solar found themselves ahead at halftime, 2-1.
Avery's tenacity drew a penalty kick, early in the second half, and Deucee tied the score, but a questionable infraction called against the Gray's resulted in a 3-2 deficit. Isabella Rohlik blocked a shot on goal with her legs and Kayde "K-Dub" Weiland nearly tied the score. From Solar's goal, Katrina Voight pursued the ball to the middle of the field, controlled it, dribbled the entire half length back and launched a shot into the net, to tie the game. Carlie Kruger made some tremendous saves between the pipes, a couple of them in heavy traffic. Sarah Brock and Annika each had attempts, then Deucee stole a goal kick and punched it in, to seal the win for Team Spirit, 4-3.
RUNNER UP at the Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament
By Sean Reed
From Friday, September 2nd thru Sunday, September 4th, Texas Spirit North ’04 took part in the 31st annual Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament. Here’s a recap of how it all unfolded.
Spirit vs. the Rowdies
Team Spirit began tournament play Friday evening at Lake Park, against their old Super Development League (SDL) nemesis, the Rowdies (aka, Dallas Texans-Bennett). The Rowdies have fielded one of the best '04 teams in the Metroplex, over the last several seasons, and they've always been a measuring stick of sorts for our girls.
The Spirit dominated the first half in all areas. Skye Leach repeatedly dribbled thru the Rowdies defense, made several sharp passes, had a couple shots on goal and eventually registered the first points of the day. Ally Richardson had her fair share of scoring opportunities as well and Deucee Reed was great defensively. Avery Schneider was very energetic and aggressive throughout, often winning shoulder to shoulder battles and producing breakaway attempts. Raegan "Mojito" Standifer had a breakaway of her own, but was fouled from behind. Deucee converted the penalty kick into a 2-0 halftime lead for Team Spirit.
Despite a huge save by Avery and a few coast to coast dribbling displays on her part, the lead decreased to 2-1. Again, the clearly inspired Avery took a ball from a Rowdie and dribbled the length of the field, only this time she uprooted the goalie. It was like watching a powerful NFL running back blast thru a hapless cornerback. After the collision, the ball rolled aimlessly, Skye and Katrina Voight had chances at it, but neither cashed in. A couple defensive lapses lead to another score for the opposition and 2-2 would prove to be the final tally.
In hindsight, Team Spirit looked like the better team for most of the game and even held the Rowdies scoreless in the first half. A defensive mistake or two was advantageous for them and directly resulted in points. Errors come back to bite you, when you're playing against one of the better squads in the area.
Spirit vs. Dallas Texans- Davis
Day 2 of the Bob Wiseman Tournament commenced at Lake Park, where the Spirit faced Dallas Texans-Davis. Raegan “Mojito” Standifer, who would prove to be quite adept at drawing penalties, penetrated the Texans defense and was tripped from behind. Avery Schneider just missed the rebound of the penalty kick. Deucee Reed and Marianne Baltmanis cleared everything in sight and Deucee sent one up field to Skye Leach, who scored from the right side. Katrina Voight was stingy between the pipes, literally giving up nothing, while showcasing some nice dropkicks in the process. Though up 1-0 at the half, Team Spirit lacked cohesion and aggression from their midfielders and forwards, but that would change.
In the 2nd, Skye passed to Raegan for a shot that was blocked. After another attempt by Raegan, Katie Loddeke placed her in position to score, until she was fouled from behind. Skye drilled the penalty kick for a 2-0 Spirit lead. Though slight in stature, Raegan showed lots of toughness by drawing yet another penalty against the Texans. Piñatas have been beaten on less than Raegan was in this game, but she never complained. Relieved of goalie duties for the 2nd half, Katrina shot a pass across field to Katie, who scored. In the very next sequence, Katie battled the length of the field with a several Texans, before punching in her second goal of the day. Still in the zone, Katie won another ball, executed a lovely step over, passed to Avery (who missed), only to have the rebound knocked into the net by Kayde Weiland; 5-0 Spirit! After a penalty kick of Katrina’s hit the left post, Katie got her third points of the game. All told, Katie not only registered a hat trick, she got the job done in a single half!
Spirit vs. Solar Red Crushers
Team Spirit showed up Sunday morning at Railroad Park needing only to beat the Crusher's to advance to Sunday evening’s championship game, and they did, winning 4-2. Literally, all six goals were notched in the first half of play and all four of the Spirit's points were courtesy of Deucee Reed's right foot. Beyond scoring, Team Spirit crushed Solar on their end of the field as Katrina Voight, Skye Leach and Carlie Krueger all had repeated shots on goal. Avery Schneider had a very nifty pull back near the backline of the Crusher's goal, which she booted to the middle of their box. Katrina cleared and dribbled the length of the field on one occasion and Ally Richardson passed to the middle, meeting Raegan "Mojito" Standifer, who barely missed scoring. To put the level of dominance into perspective, Solar had a grand total of zero shots on goal for the entirety of the second half.
Spirit vs. the Rowdies II
It was inevitable that Team Spirit would cross paths with the Rowdies and collectively, the players and parents looked forward to the opportunity. The feeling was that we had let them off the hook, Friday evening. But with the Bob Wiseman tournament championship at stake, we all found out what a difference two days can make.
With a strong wind to their backs, the Rowdies played very aggressively in the first half. Coach Peter Polichetti started a very strong defensive line-up, consisting of Marianne Baltmanis, Kaitlyn Williams and Deucee Reed, to offset the heavy breeze. Nonetheless, most of the action was waged on Team Spirit's defensive end of the field and balls consequently wound up in the back of our net. Katrina Voight fended off many attempts and executed some nice dropkicks (into the wind), but there were just too many shots being fired at her. Skye Leach dribbled well, at one point taking the ball to the left corner and sending a pass across the middle, to Ally Richardson. In another sequence, Ally chased down a Rowdie, took her ball, and sent a pass upfield to Raegan "Mojito" Standifer. Despite this, the Spirit found themselves on the wrong end of the score at halftime, 3-0.
In the second half, a near breakaway by Deucee drew a penalty, but Skye couldn't convert the kick. Marianne cleared several balls and there was a constant array of hustle from Katrina and Avery Schneider. Katrina swung and missed on a rebounded Spirit shot, and on the other end, Kayde Weiland made a goal saving sweep. The end result wasn’t easy to swallow, but when it was all said and done, the Rowdies just wanted it more, taking first place in the Bob Wiseman Labor Day Tournament by a score of 4-0.
|
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!! By Sean Reed, August 27th, 2011 Splendidly written and sang by Freddie Mercury, comically butchered by Dirk Nowitzki, "We are the Champions" now applies to yours truly, the Texas Spirit North '04 squad. On Saturday afternoon, our favorite soccer team brought home the 2011 Blue Sky summer indoor championship in the U7-U8 girls division, forever removing the stench of losing the 2010 winter league finale (after going undefeated during the regular season, no less). It certainly wasn't easy, but then again, anything worth having rarely is. The capable foe was the talented Wildcats U8, who had split two earlier meetings with Team Spirit. The atmosphere was intense, both teams played their little hearts out and parents were animated and on the edge of their seats. If there was any doubt the Wildcats came to win, that notion was quickly quelled, as they took a 1-0 lead very early in the game. On the other end, Katie Loddeke kept a ball alive in the opposing box and took a shot on goal, which Deucee Reed rebounded for a score. But seemingly seconds later, the Wildcats broke the tie, 2-1. Without question, they started faster, were more aggressive and Team Spirit had to find a way to match their intensity. They found it on the defensive end; there were several sweeps by Carlie Krueger and Kaitlyn Williams and Marianne Baltmanis was absolutely ridiculous. She was a genuine nuisance to the Wildcats and her speed was a major factor in offsetting their scoring opportunities. Another crucial element was the play of McKenna Leach, who had a fire lit under her a few weeks ago and has done nothing to dull that flame since. She cleared a ball and dribbled it the majority of the field. Moments later, the Wildcats goalie retrieved an attempt outside the box and a penalty kick ensued. With her game face in full effect, McKenna (who was celebrating her 8th birthday today) confidently took the kick and placed it into the back of the net for a 2-2 tie. Undoubtedly, it was a pivotal moment in the game and though the score was even, you could sense the tide had slightly shifted, going into the half. A header by Carlie was followed by a shot on goal by Katrina Voight. Marianne's defensive excellence continued to frustrate the Wildcats and after awhile, Team Spirit kept the ball on their side of the field more than the Wildcats would've liked. Raegan "Mojito" Standifer made the Wildcats pay for this, giving the Spirit its first lead of the day, 3-2. The lead would be short lived though, after a shot invaded our net. Both teams battled fiercely and took numerous shots on goal, flirting with scoring. From the defender spot, Deucee tracked down the ball and dribbled up-field for a potential breakaway attempt, when she was fouled and knocked down from behind. From somewhere between the Wildcats goalie box and the middle of the field, Deucee booted the penalty kick well over the heads of the Wildcats human wall and into the net. 4-3, Spirit! Team Spirit parents anxiously looked at the clock and counted down the seconds in the waning moments. When the final horn sounded, McKenna was acknowledged with a rendition of "Happy Birthday". In a touching gesture, each member of the team took turns signing the championship t-shirt of the other and the entire squad went to Braum’s to celebrate over ice cream. Kudos to Ally Richardson, Avery Schneider, Kayde Weiland, Isabella Rohlik, Annika Mortensen and Sarah Brock, on contributing to the championship winning effort. Way to go, girls! "We are Red, we are White, we are ready for a Fight. Go Spirit!" |
OMG!!
- 08/24/2011, 8:08pm (CST)
VENGEANCE is Ours!!
- 08/23/2011, 6:52pm (CST)
SPIRIT Outstrikes the Lightning 9-2
- 08/04/2011, 9:00pm (CST)
SPIRIT Rolls 11-0
- 08/04/2011, 12:37am (CST)
Moral Victory
- 08/02/2011, 4:34pm (CST)
