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The start of the high school soccer season tells us that summer is just about over and winter gets closer every day.  And it’s not likely we’re going to get a mild winter like we had last year.  All four local high school soccer teams began play last week, and here are the results.

Chisago Lakes Girls

The question of who is going to be an offensive force for the Wildcat girls’ soccer team this season may have been answered last week as the Wildcats went 2-0.  Sophomore Emma Knabe had four goals to lead the Wildcats to a 6-2 win over the Coon Rapids Cardinals in the season opener Thursday, August 22 at Coon Rapids High School.  The Wildcats led 2-1 at halftime and blew the game open with four goals in the second half.  Junior Alexandra Bartz had a goal and two assists, and senior Taylor Kubalek scored the Wildcats’ other goal.  Senior Katelyn Barnick chipped in with two assists and senior Emily Carroll and sophomore Luciana Asleson had one assist each.

In the home opener against the St. Anthony Village Huskies, Knabe scored in the first half, assisted by Luciana Asleson, and the Wildcats hung on for a 1-0 win Saturday, August 24 at Chisago Lakes High School.  Junior goalkeeper Civeah McDonald stopped all three shots she faced to earn her first shutout of the season.

Chisago Lakes Boys

The Wildcat boys, on the other hand, do not yet know who might emerge as a scoring threat this season.  In the season opener at North St. Paul High School, the teams played a scoreless first half.  But the Polars erupted for five goals in the second half to blow out the Wildcats 5-0 on Thursday, August 22.  

The patter repeated itself in the Wildcats’ home opener last Saturday against the St. Anthony Village Huskies.  Neither team scored in the first half, but the Huskies piled on four goals in the second half to shut out the Wildcats 4-0, leaving the Wildcats 0-2 to start the season.

North Branch Girls

The Vikings traveled to Centricity Stadium in Hermantown to open the season last Thursday.  They scored the only goal of the first half to take a 1-0 lead, but the Hawks put one in the back of the net in the second half and the game ended in a 1-1 tie.  In the Vikings’ home opener, Ryan Martinson scored a first half goal for the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks and they held on to shut out the Vikings 1-0, giving the Vikings an 0-1-1 record to start the season.

North Branch Boys

The Vikings boys headed north to Vic Power Field in Hibbing for their season opener Saturday, August 24.  The Vikings trailed the Hibbing/Chisholm Bluejackets 2-1 at halftime, and scored the only goal of the second half as the teams had to settle for a 2-2 tie.

Soccer Stuff

In case you are an old Twins’ fan and were wondering, Vic Power Field in Hibbing was not named after the Vic Power who played for the Twins in the early 1960s.   The field – in fact, the whole 134 acre park – was named after Victor Power, “The Little Giant of the North”, who was Hibbing’s village president during its exponential growth explosion in the early 20th century.

• The Viking boys will host the Legacy Christian Lions in their home opener tonight at 7 p.m. at North Brach High School.  They will welcome the Monticello Magic to town next Tuesday, September 3 for another 7 p.m. game.

• The Viking girls will also face the Monticello Magic at home on Tuesday, September 3, with their game getting underway at 5 p.m.

• The Wildcat boys, still seeking their first goal of the season, will welcome the St. Cloud Apollo Eagles to Chisago Lakes High School tonight for a 4 p.m matinee.  And they’ll have a catfight in Princeton next Tuesday, September 3 as they head to Princeton High School to take on the Panthers at 7 p.m.  The next night, the Mahtomedi Zephyrs will breeze into town for a 6:30 p.m. game against the Wildcats.

• Emma Knabe and the Wildcat girls will travel to Princeton Tuesday, September 3 for a match with the Panthers, with the game getting underway at 5 p.m.

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