Clarion River Valley Strikers U12 Girls Finish Season With Shut Out It Grove City, Second In League (11/05/15)

(By Matt Lerch)

The Clarion River Valley Strikers U12 Girls finished the Fall 2015 season in winning fashion by overpowering their counterparts in Grove City 9-0, Sunday November 1st, at Grove City. With the sun shining on a brown and muddy November field, the Striker Girls showed up ready to put an exclamation point on their winning season.

(Photo by Matt  Lerch) Fall 2015 CRVS Girls U-12 Team

(Photo by Matt Lerch) Fall 2015 CRVS Girls U-12 Team

The game began in normal fashion, with the offense anchored by center midfielder Korrin Burns advancing the ball into enemy territory with forward Joyce Kim and wingers Parker Boyden and Reagan Pack. Grove City was able to hold off the Clarion offense, but not for long. Kim received an assist from Pack to score first. Strong leg Pack sent the ball flying over the goalie’s head for a second Clarion goal. Boyden then assisted Kim off a corner kick from Burns to make it 3-0.

Time and time again the Grove City goaltender punted the ball into Clarion territory, only to have the ball trapped and returned by the unforgiving defense of Bailey “Frosty” Snowberger, Shawna Pack and Anna Gribik. With the ball once again kicked to Shawna Pack, she thwarted the effort by passing to Riley Burford, who blasted a shot from outside the “18” to make it 4-0 at the half. Evelyn Lerch, in goal, only had to stop two shots by Grove City.

With Shawna Pack now in goal starting the second half, Lerch was unleashed to score two goals in the first 3 minutes of play. Defender Snowberger was placed up as forward and scored in the middle of the period, with an assist from Burns. Liv Weckerly, playing right midfield, accepted a pass from Lexi Coull and Lerch, now playing defense, and shot past the Grove City keeper. With minutes left in the game, Coull was able to lean her body into the left side defender to make the final goal of the day making it 9-0 Clarion.

The Strikers U12 Girls season finished today with a 5-2-1 record. Coach Laura Domena, a Clarion Strikers coach since Fall 2012, was quoted as saying “I couldn’t be more proud of this group of girls. I’ve watched and coached many of them through the years and have seen how their hard work and dedication has helped make their success come to fruition. Many have the leadership qualities to take the Strikers organization to the next level as they mature in Junior High and beyond.”

The Strikers season has come to a close but will resume in April 2016. The Strikers website, www.clarionsoccer.com, will announce Notices of Interest being accepted in February 2016.

(Thanks to Matt Lerch for this article and photo. Great Season, Strikers!!!!)