The visiting Kenai Central soccer teams swept Homer on Saturday in Northern Lights Conference Southern Division action.
The Kenai boys notched a 4-0 win to move to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the division, while Homer boys fell to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the division. The Kenai girls topped Homer 3-0 to move to 5-2 and 1-0 in the division, while Homer is 1-4 and 1-1.
In the boys game, the Kardinals scored three times in the first half to take control of the game. At the 10-minute mark, Luke Beiser broke in from the outside and hammered the ball home with his right foot. About five minutes later, Karl Danielson received a pass from Zack Tuttle and scored.
Beiser and Danielson both play outside defender for the Kardinals. Kenai coach Joel Reemtsma said the two are able to push forward because he has such confidence in defenders Braydon Goodman and Max Dye. The coach added that midfielders Kevin Ramos and Tomas Levy-Canedo are doing a good job of being aware of outside defenders pushing forward and covering for them.
Near the end of the half, Kenai’s Travis Verkuilen was taken down battling for a ball in the box. Dye took the penalty kick and drilled it for a 3-0 lead.
In the second half, Riley McKee finished off the scoring when he took a pass from Tuttle and finished from 35 yards out.
Tristan Landry had the shutout for the Kardinals, something Reemtsma said is not easy to do against the resourceful Mariners, particularly midfielders Charles Rohr and Oliver Beck.
“Homer played hard all the way through the game and did have three or four dangerous moments,” Reemtsma said.
The Kards host Ketchikan on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Kenai girls 3, Homer 0
With the Mariners playing with 10 players due to injuries, the Kardinals were able to take a 3-0 lead after the first half and Kailey Hamilton was able to notch the shutout in net with two saves.
In the sixth minute, Lara Creighton started the scoring by using her body to score a corner kick from Mikaela Pitsch.
In the 30th minute, Samantha Morse converted a ball from Annebelle Schneiders. Then, six minutes later, Liz Hanson scored on an assist from Savannah Clark.
The Kardinals had 26 shots, 14 on goal.
“We got everybody in, had some kids in new positions and brought up some JV,” Kenai coach Dan Verkuilen said. “We had fun.”
The coach said Brenna Eubank led the defense in doing a good job pushing into the midfield and keeping the Mariners in their half of the field. Verkuilen also said Schneiders also had some nice touches in the midfield.
Kenai hosts Ketchikan on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Wasilla 8, Nikiski 0
Reese Sande and Jodie Richey each had two goals as the host Warriors notched a victory Friday.
