Girls’ Soccer to Play St. Bernard’s in NCS Tournament

Junior Alyssa Rogers battles for the ball against an Arcata player last Wednesday. Rogers had the assist on the Lady Cubs' only goal in the contest. [Photo by Suzanne Van Meter]

Junior Alyssa Rogers battles for the ball against an Arcata player last Wednesday. Rogers had the assist on the Lady Cubs’ only goal in the contest. [Photo by Suzanne Van Meter]

South Fork High’s Varsity Girls’ Soccer team will play in their first post-season game since 2012 against St. Bernard’s on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at St. Bernard’s in Eureka.

Disappointed by having to play a team they’ve already played twice this year, South Fork also lost the opportunity to host the North Coast Section tournament opener, which, despite being the lower seed, they would have had due to St. Bernard’s not having a lighted field. The mid-week section games are preferably played in the evening to accommodate fan attendance, but when the original decision for South Fork to host was challenged by St. Bernard’s due to the unsafe field conditions at South Fork, the North Coast Section moved the game.

Sophomore midfielder Kaya Voelkers blocks a pass in last Wednesday's game against Arcata [Photo by Suzanne Van Meter]

Sophomore midfielder Kaya Voelkers blocks a pass in last Wednesday’s game against Arcata [Photo by Suzanne Van Meter]

South Fork Athletic Director Andy Olsen had little choice but to go along with the St. B request since South Fork head coach Ann Constantino had been complaining about the safety of the South Fork field all season. “Before the rains, the hardness and bumpiness of the field was causing chronic lower leg and ankle issues in nearly half of our players, and since the rains have come, the large saturated bare patches cause unsafe slipping, and have worsened the unevenness of the surface,” she said. “I mentioned the condition of the field last February to the board when they met with the students, but nothing was done,” she added.

Nevertheless, the Lady Cubs, seeded 13th in the tournament, know their opponent well, and are confident they will be able to generate offense against the 5th seeded St. Bernard’s, against whom they scored 4 goals in their last match-up on October 15th. The question is whether South Fork will be able to shut down the potent Crusader offense, which has scored 11 times against South Fork in two games this season, winning 5-0 in Eureka in September and 6-4 in October.

Team scoring leader Sophomore striker Kylie Messenger setting up her 8th goal of the season in last week's win over Del Norte [Photo by Suzanne van Meter]

Team scoring leader sophomore striker Kylie Messenger evades her defender to shoot and score her 8th goal of the season in last week’s 1-0 win over Del Norte [Photo by Suzanne Van Meter]

Last Wednesday to wrap up the regular season, South Fork fell to Arcata 7-1 in Arcata. South Fork had the small victory of being able to score against Arcata when late in the first half junior forward Alyssa Rogers slotted a through ball to junior striker Olivia Baffert who beat the Arcata keeper for her 7th goal of the season.

The team finished with an overall record of 6-13-1, and small school record of 5-4-1.

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Henchman Of Justice
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Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Field issues at SFHS not new.

High School is cheap, won’t maintain and water facilities…… students suffer, adults not…….ya think people could water sports grass too instead of just dope fields…..

HOJ prefers playing a 3-6-1 flanked diamond or a 3-5-2 offset trapezoid (either 2/3 or 3/2). Play strong up the middle. mix in a 4-4-2 base diamond and flat line shifts…….all about shifting schemes to counter momentum…..counter attack with long balls to open spaces, run and fetch offense…..keep dropping in the ball over the top, get a bounce or few in the chaos.

Should be a great night for the Cubs if they play as a team……momentum is on their side.

Goalkeeper – pay attention to outside shots and always talk to defense to make sure to push forward, create offside traps……hope the center back is fastest player on field.

Defense must use counter attacks through the air to minimize potent offenses…..making sure “in the air = lands in the penalty area or on the deep wings for offense opportunities”.

Penalty shots – Practice placing the ball into the back of the net as opposed to mauling the ball over the crossbar.

Knee over/forward ball = lower trajectory

Knee behind ball = airborne flight

Lizzie
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Lizzie
7 years ago

The Crusaders are going to win it with your coaching secrets. You should write a book.

Ernie Branscomb
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Ernie Branscomb
7 years ago

Jeez HOJ, you are worse than the politicians. You just gave away the game plan. Now the other team knows how to play us.

thebigdeal
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thebigdeal
7 years ago

The reason the field is uneven is because its a “Football” field! Not a soccer field. A Soccer field should be built and less activity on the Football field.

holt
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holt
7 years ago

Your unwillingness to post my comment pretty much confirms our suspicions as to the (not so) secret identity of HOJ? C’mon Kym. It was a harmless post.

Kym Kemp
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Just-me
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Just-me
7 years ago

The only way St. Bernard’s knows how to win is by sending half of their opponents team to the hospital. Most of the players can’t play the sport so they go out and hurt their opponents. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. We will all be rooting for the South Fork girls. You deserve to beat them!

Henchman Of Justice
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Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  Just-me

Reads as if the coach is not qualified.

St. Bernard’s High School
Crusaders Girls Soccer
Overall 14-8-2 League 8-5-1
Home Standings School
Schedule Roster Stats Rankings Team Info
GENERAL INFO
CoachDan JohnsonColorsGreen, WhiteLeagueHumboldt-Del Norte – Big 5StateCaliforniaSectionNorth Coast SectionSec. DivisionDivision III

Dan Johnson outta Arcata? The gubbamint subsidy prostitute who owns a tax subsidized construction business that steals hotel/motel properties to convert into senior assisted living units without having to spend his wealth as a cost of doing business, but instead launders tax dollars through cities, county to get massive profits and zero risk.

Nothing worse in any community than to allow the Dan Johnson’s to be a community member.

Dan Johnson represents everything that is evil…….😈👿👹👺

Jerry Latsko
Guest
7 years ago

I have the feeling that the Cubs can do this and get past St. Bernard’s for another game. Win or lose, though, it’s been a great season for a tough team.