Saturday was the final game together for Erin Rosenkranz and her GU19 Whidbey Islanders squad. (John Fisken photo)
Islanders forever. (Kali Barrio photo)
David put the fear of God into Goliath.
Drawing its players from all three Whidbey Island high schools, the ever-scrappy GU19 Whidbey Islanders soccer squad has always been a success, win or loss.
Saturday, having gone further than ever before, the band of sisters made a final stand on the mainland, falling 1-0 to Seattle United NE in a hard-fought State Cup semifinal.
And while the loss ended the Islanders season, and brought an end to this version of the team, it failed to diminish what they have accomplished.
“I am very proud that this small team from Whidbey, who has no cuts and plays big city teams with paid coaches who cut several players in tryouts, could not only compete, but threaten to win it all!,” said coach Sean LeVine. “My only hope is that they have fond memories and valuable lessons to take.”
LeVine, along with those who helped him make the Coupeville/Oak Harbor/South Whidbey juggernaut possible, will look back on the past few years as a great success.
“Our GU19 Whidbey Islanders team is officially disbanded, but Islanders forever!,” he said. “Thanks to Scott Rosenkranz for being a great coach all these years and Sherry Pabona for being a great manager.
“Happy Mother’s Day to all the awesome, ultra-dedicated soccer moms!,” LeVine added. “Without them we’d have no team.”
Playing on a brutally warm field Saturday, the Islanders had to deal with a season-long issue — few, if any, subs.
“It was HOT on the field today, and with only one sub compared to their four, our superior conditioning did not help as much as it had,” LeVine said.
Seattle United poked in the game’s only goal at the 20 minute mark, when it stole a ball and sent a cross into “a poorly-marked player,” who hit from 10 yards out.
Whidbey had several chances to knot the game, but luck wasn’t on its side on this day.
On their best chance, Gillian Crossley beat a defender at the near post and laid the ball on the foot of Lydia Peplinski, but her shot narrowly missed.
With the heat sucking the life out of both teams, play slowed in the second half, but Seattle was able to control the flow of the game by “possessing the ball better than any team we’ve faced this season.”
The game capped a season in which LeVine’s roster changed radically as the season developed.
Coupeville’s Jenn Spark and Jacki Ginnings (“two of the best defenders in the league”) were lost to injuries right as the season kicked-off, two other players left the team unexpectedly, another moved out of the country, and the crush of senior year for many of the players was a constant tricky issue.
“Despite all that, we figured things out, improved as we went along, and went further in the state tournament than we ever have,” said a proud LeVine.
He got contributions from every one of his players, and enjoyed that it was a second family as much as a team.
LeVine’s thoughts on his players:
Alyssa Cross, Ayla Muller and Becca Pabona became our best center backs in Jenn and Jacki’s place and excelled this season. That is a very tough position and they are awesome for stepping in, improving, and excelling.
Erin Rosenkranz played a new position this season at left back, which if you know her playing style, you’d know that was weird. But she simply proved to be the best 1-on-1 defender we have, and she did consistently well.
Paige Waterman was missed at the beginning of the season, but despite her ankle injury, she came on strong and was our consistent right back the rest of the year.
Our top three goal scorers were Lydia, Gillian, and Micky (LeVine).
Lydia and “Jilly” are our youngest and they are going to do great things in the next couple years; I can’t wait to watch them play more.
Kendra Warwick was the axle of our wheels this season.
Nothing happened if she didn’t play a role; she is simply our most valuable asset, although Kenzie Perry may have an argument with her multiple shut-outs as keeper and her goal scoring prowess in very few field appearances.
Vivien Valles, Micky and Bailee Olson are our work horses and blue collar workers.
While Jacalyn Hefflefinger, one of my favorite people, did not have her 10-goal season like last year, her work rate and sense of humor is the glue of the team. She is really loved by all.
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