The Juneau-Douglas High School girls soccer team shut out Ketchikan High School this weekend at home.
After a 2-0 effort on Friday night, in which the Crimson Bear girls missed two penalties that could have widened the score even furhter, JDHS missed no opportunity to score in their Saturday game, coming away with a 5-0 win in the rain at Adair Kennedy Field.
The rain made for a faster game than Friday, with more throw-ins and corners than Friday’s match.
Junior midfielder Georgia Robinson found the back of the net in the second minute of the game for the Crimson Bears first goal, deflecting a left footer off a Ketchikan defender and past Kayhi keeper Hannah Maxwell.
Freshman standout Malia Miller eared JDHS’ second goal, tracking down a failed clearance into Maxwell’s goal, where Miller slotted it into an open net. Senior forward Maddie McKeown got in on the action in the 28th minute, settling a cross and patiently waiting a few bounces to tap her goal in from close.
In the second half senior forward Amber White, a huge threat from set pieces, opened scoring with the game’s most impressive goal, a free kick strike from 30 yards out that rocketed past Maxwell at waist height. Scoring JDHS’ fifth goal was senior midfielder Rylee Landon off a corner from White.
In their first three matches JDHS has outscored their opponents by an impressive 11-1. They play next at Thunder Mountain High School at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday April 24.
Friday’s Game: JDHS 2, Kayhi 0
The results of Juneau-Douglas High School’s Friday night match against Ketchikan High School bear the mark of a Crimson Bears team settling into their abilities.
After a productive but unpredictable opening game against Thunder Mountain High School, the Crimson Bears took the Lady Kings down decisively in a 2-0 win on Friday, linking passes through the midfield and playing a more controlled game than during their season opener.
Ketchikan had some bright moments of their own, but couldn’t develop the time of possession they needed to break down JDHS’ defensive scheme. JDHS missed two penalty kicks in the game, putting one wide and one high, leading to a tighter scoreline than the run of play would indicate.
“We were working pretty well as a team, implementing what we’ve been working on in practice,” said JDHS senior Amber White. “We got rid of the nerves, no more jitters I guess.”
Coach Matt Dusenberry commented that JDHS worked hard on their possession between their first and second matches.
“One of the things we noticed in our Thunder Mountain game was that we had moments where we gave the ball away for free and we tried to get it down to feet today and keep it on the floor,” he said.
Freshman Brianna Jokerst opened scoring in the 30th minute on an open goal breakaway. Jokerst made a run behind Kayhi’s defense as senior Maddie Mckeown deftly deflected a through ball off her thigh in Jokerst’s direction. Jokerst dribbled around Kayhi keeper Hannah Maxwell and slotted the ball in an open net.
JDHS’ White added to their advantage in the second half with a shot from 12 yards out, after junior Erika Holst stopped the ball inside Kayhi’s box to find an open White, who had ample time to tee off into the left side of the goal.
Though JDHS earned the lion’s share of possession in both halves, Ketchikan’s “engine,” midfielder Sarah Cool, gave JDHS problems in the midfield.
“Sarah (Cool) covers a lot of ground, she moves nonstop,” Ketchikan coach Neil Kinunen said. “She did well, every game she does well.”
Kinunen added that he was pleased with his team’s defense.
“Our defenders, I thought, did a good job. Mackenzie Harrison at right defense matched up with Maddie McKeown the whole game and didn’t really give her much joy,” Kinunen said. “Hannah Maxwell made some big saves.”
Dusenberry also praised Cool’s play.
“I felt like Sarah Cool, their number seven, pretty much outplayed most of our team in the first half, she was winning everything,” Dusenberry said. “It was nice to see in the second half them step up to that challenge. I think our number seven did quite a heck of a job in the second half, with matching (Cool’s) intensity and winning balls.”
Dusenberry gave the “hard hat” award to junior defender Georgia Robinson, who he said was particularly strong in challenging Kayhi on 50-50 balls.
• Contact Kevin Gullufsen at kevin.gullufsen@juneauempire.com or at (907) 523-2228.
Ketchikan’a Neva Garner, left, and Mckenzie Harrison block out Juneau-Douglas’ Maddie McKeown during their varsity game at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday.
Juneau-Douglas’ Brianna Jokerst beats Ketchikan’s goalie Hannah Maxwell to score first at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday.
