The Kenai Peninsula moved five teams to the semifinals of the Division II state soccer tournament Thursday in the Matanuska-Susitna valleys.
For the girls, No. 1 seed and defending champ Kenai Central topped No. 8 Redington 7-0, No. 6 seed Homer topped No. 3 Palmer 4-1 and No. 2 seed Soldotna defeated No. 7 Ketchikan 1-0 to move to the semifinals.
For the boys, No. 1 seed and defending champ Soldotna defeated No. 8 North Pole 3-0, and No. 4 seed Kenai defeated No. 5 Monroe Catholic 4-0. No. 6 Homer lost to No. 3 Palmer 5-0.
The Kenai girls face Monroe Catholic in a 1 p.m. Friday semifinal at Wasilla. The Kards have not seen the No. 5 Rams, who beat No. 4 Grace Christian 5-0, this season.
In the other girls semifinal, SoHi and Homer face off at 1 p.m. at Colony. The Stars have 2-0 and 2-1 victories over the Mariners this season.
The SoHi and Kenai boys clash in a semifinal at 3 p.m. at Wasilla. The Stars won all three games this season, and have six straight overall in the rivalry.
The other semifinal is No. 2 Ketchikan, which defeated No. 7 Houston 5-0, and Palmer at 3 p.m. at Colony.
Homer looks to play its way into the fourth-place game against Houston at 3 p.m. at Palmer. The Mariners own a 4-0 victory over the Hawks this season.
Soldotna boys 3, North Pole 0
The Stars scored three times in the second half to move to 14-4-1.
The goals were Lane Hillyer in the 50th minute from Harold Rudstrom, Johnny Wardas in the 60th minute from Trae Pitsch and Wardas in the 66th minute from Daniel Heath.
Luke Hillyer had the shutout for the Stars.
SoHi head coach Erik Dolphin wrote that his squad was going into a 25 mph wind in the first half. The Stars hit a post and had some chances, but couldn’t do their set pieces and long throw-ins.
Dolphin also credited the Patriots for playing a good game.
“We have some banged up and sick guys, so we had to gut it out,” Dolphin wrote. “Johnny Wardas was the player of the game. Scored two and created tons for us on the wing.”
Homer girls 4, Palmer 1
The Mariners moved to 4-8-1 overall by avenging a loss to Palmer less than a week earlier.
“They made a decision they weren’t going to lose to Palmer twice and they kept their word,” Homer head coach Mike Tozzo wrote in a text message.
Ruby Hill and Talia Weisser each had a pair of goals.
Tozzo also continues to be impressed with goalie Maya Diaz, filling in for an injured Christi Weisser.
“She’s had to step in, as a first year player and goalie, and she’s just taking it all on very well,” Tozzo wrote. “I’m proud of her.”
Palmer boys 5, Homer 0
The Mariners fell to the Moose to fall to 6-7-1 overall. In those seven losses and one tie, Homer has been shut out each time.
Homer head coach Tyler Jeffres wrote in a text message that Reid Rauch had a phenomenal game, but the story of the season is not having a goal scorer.
“Shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times with their goals and losing the ball in bad areas,” Jeffres wrote.
Kenai boys 4, Monroe Catholic 0
The Kardinals got two goals apiece from Ryker Dykema and Sawyer Vann, and a clean sheet from Bradley Morrison, in moving to 10-6-2 overall.
Assists went to Cole Langham, Miles Metteer, Enrique Mercado and Tyler Jackman.
“Guys played well, controlled the game from start to finish,” Kenai head coach Shane Lopez wrote in a text message.
Lopez wrote that captains Carson Grimm, Mercado and Langham kept the midfield under control, while Ben Harris held down the back line.
Soldotna girls 1, Ketchikan 0
The Stars managed their third one-goal victory against the Kings with zero losses to move to 11-4-2 overall.
Jillian Duncan, assisted by Kendra Rose, had the game-winner 15 minutes into the second half. That was all Ryan Queen needed in net.
Kenai girls 7, Redington 0
The Kardinals moved to 12-3 overall by moving to 3-0 this season against the Huskies.
Christine Goering led the way for Kenai with a hat trick, while Katie Johnson had two goals, and Ellee Pancoast and Ella Siemers added assists.
Maddie Malone had the shutout for the Kardinals.
