JDHS Crimson Bears boys outshine Soldotna Stars in 3-0 home win

Two goalkeepers highlighted the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears 3-0 win Thursday over the visiting Soldotna Stars at the Adair Kennedy Memorial Park pitch, one for the victors and one for the vanquished.

JDHS freshman Callan Walker was given his first varsity start and performed like a senior, earning a clean slate, numerous saves and a couple hard knocks.

“I feel very excited about that,” Walker said. “I’m sure there are many more to come, but I am really thankful for my defense for having my back in everything and it is just very great to have them there.”

The first attacking cross by Soldotna was tipped by Walker over the goal and set the tone for his performance in the box.

“Eric (Thompson) is a very good goalie too,” Walker said. “I’ve just been watching him and seeing how he plays, and then I am trying to copy him pretty much. But that first save over the crossbar that was unexpected really, I just tried to get my hand on it. It gave me a lot of confidence going throughout the rest of the game.”

JDHS coach Gary Lehnhart noted it had been many years since a freshman had played so well, if ever, in the goal but the opportunity arose as the entire team stepped up in the face of adversity.

“After our week, losing our two centerbacks Noah (Ault) and Jesper (Bennetsen) probably for the season on top of the injuries we already had, we were down,” JDHS coach Gary Lehnhart said. “We needed an upbeat performance so I was a little surprised with how well we came out and played. And the guys that we needed to do it, did it. They really led. We played quick and we were dangerous. If it wasn’t for their goalkeeper it would have been different…I’ve coached a lot of games in my life and I don’t think there has been a game where I thought the ball was in the net more times and then went ‘opps, nope’ and he made it look so easy, their goalkeeper made it look so easy, he had a phenomenal game. He was something…and that was a good performance for us, obviously Elliott (Welch) played well, but Eric (Thompson) came out of the net and made the transition to be solid as a centerback. We have to find that because we need Ahmir (Parker) up top and we have to find two guys, and we may have found them today.”

Unofficially Soldotna junior keeper Luke Hillyer stopped 10 shots in the first half and five in the second, plus a variety of shots that went high or wide.

Hillyer has been playing soccer for 10 years, the last eight as a goalkeeper.

“I just have to stay focused all the time and make sure I am ready for the shots obviously and anticipate where they are going,” Hillyer said. “Just be ready I guess. I’ve been in the box a long time.”

Hillyer has also been used out of the box and took numerous free kicks for the Stars as his leg strength is considered a threat from 55 yards out.

“I am just aiming back post,” he said. “Just trying to get it on frame and then maybe it will curve to my brother (junior Lane Hillyer), he’s a striker so I’m trying to aim for him mostly.”

Hillyer was brilliant all game but a highlight reel in the first half.

“I really liked my saves in the first half,” he said. “Where the crosses were coming in and I dive out and punch it away, but the reaction saves on a one-on-one I like too. Juneau is tough. I’ve played them the past two years in the state championship, beat them once, lost to them my freshman year. They are a good team. Kai’s a really good player.”

Soldotna won the state title over JDHS last season and JDHS won the state tile over Soldotna in 2023 and over now-defunct Thunder Mountain in 2022. TMHS won over Soldotna in 2021 with JDHS third.

On Thursday JDHS looked like the state title winners.

Freshman keeper Walker earned his start through necessity and as good as the Crimson Bears back line played against the Soldotna attackers some of the Stars shots required heady play by the freshman goalkeeper.

The switch in goal for JDHS, moving starting sophomore keeper Eric Thompson out to defense was required as the Crimson Bears have lost junior all-state defenders Noah Ault and Jesper Bennetsen to possible season-ending injuries.

JDHS played senior forward Ahmir Parker in the back in prior games to offset the loss of Bennetsen, but the team is more effective when he plays alongside all-state senior forward Kai Ciambor up front and the two were problems for Soldotna.

Ciambor had two looks at shots in the opening minutes. Midway through the first half he threaded a pass to Parker at the top of the box and Parker found a shot to the back of the Soldotna net.

“It was a beautiful ball from Kai and it’s a shot I have taken dozens of times,” Parker said. “It was muscle memory, I don’t even remember it on that one to be completely honest.”

The 1-0 score would hold in the first half as JDHS keeper Walker unofficially withstood nine shots on or around the goal.

The two teams countered attacking moves through the first 20 minutes of the second half before the Crimson Bears’ Ciambor put a highlight move on two defenders and found freshman Troy Edgar with a crossing pass, and Edgar put in a shot to the right of the keeper for 2-0.

Roughly five minutes later Parker had a corner kick that was cleared away, but in the multiple change of possessions he found the ball again.

“I just kind of made it in my mind that they weren’t going to be taking the ball from me once I had an opportunity,” Parker said. “I shot it and I got lucky because it went through the keeper’s legs and went in.”

Parker said he had a message for his teammates in the back defensive positions.

“Thank you,” he said. “So much. You make my job a lot easier when I don’t have to worry about what’s going on back there. I appreciate that.”

JDHS were defensive minded throughout the game, from the box through center midfield, and Thompson, seniors Kellen Chester, Reed Maier, Owen Rumsey, Ryan Thibideau, junior Emmett Mesdag and sophomore Sam Mazon were among the many noted for performances by coach Lehnhart but junior Elliott Welch was honored with the team’s Lunch Box Award.

“That was a lunch box performance,” Lehnhart told the team after the game. “We needed that.”

Usually coming off the bench for spirited relief Welch was on the pitch at full speed from the start.

“My mindset is kind of just play safe,” Welch said. “The centerbacks, Eric (Thompson) and I, this was our first game starting in that position so playing it safe, getting the feel for it, that is kind of the main goal for this game. Both of us did very well, the same with our ‘D’ partners Emmett (Mesdag), Reed (Maier) and Owen (Rumsey) and then the same with our midfielders coming back and helping, that really helped.”

Welch and his partners didn’t just boot the ball away, but placed perfect passes to teammates to start counter attacks.

“That is exactly what our coach wants from the back line,” Welch said. “That was probably our best performance of doing that, especially since we are a new defensive line, it is exactly what he wants.”

JDHS will travel to Fairbanks next week to play Lathrop and West Valley.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.