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“She is a warrior and will overcome!!”

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged CHS Wolves, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, Jenn Spark, knee injuries, Soccer on October 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

All positive thoughts and prayers go out to CHS soccer captain Jenn Spark as she starts the road back from a blown-out knee. (John Fisken photos)

Spark unleashes a shot in a game from last season.

Spark unleashes a shot in a game last season.

The Spark has been extinguished. For now.

A devastating injury suffered in the final minutes of her team’s last game has ended the soccer season for Coupeville High School junior defender Jenn Spark.

An MRI taken Friday revealed the Wolf captain had done far worse damage than originally thought.

An initial visit to the ER after Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Mount Vernon Christian had raised hopes she had a sprain, but it wasn’t to be.

“Our worst fears came to fruition,” said CHS coach Troy Cowan. “Jennifer completely blew her knee out; it couldn’t be more serious.

“The MRI results read like a knee surgeon’s shopping list — grade 1 MCL and ACL strain, deep bone bruise, partial meniscus tear and a completely shredded ACL.”

Spark confirmed she will need surgery and is expected to miss at least six months, which will cost her the rest of the high school season and prevent her from playing select soccer with her GU18 Whidbey Islanders squad.

“We will badly miss her abilities, leadership, and character on the field for some time, but she’ll be back!,” said Islander coach Sean LeVine. “We wish her the most speedy and painless recovery and rehab possible!”

The loss of arguably their toughest defender, one who had a booming kick that cleared the ball with passion, will be a huge challenge for the Wolves (3-2 on the season).

For now, though, all thoughts go to Spark and her recovery.

“Jennifer is one of the toughest players I’ve ever been around and I have zero doubts she will attack this injury like she attacks the ball, with determination, passion and fearlessness,” Cowan said. “She is a warrior and will overcome this setback.

“The Lady Wolves want everyone to know we love Jennifer and that we are dedicating the remainder of our season to her,” he added.

“We have to adjust and move on now. Jennifer cannot be replaced, but we will do our best to maintain the level of play Jennifer set for us.”

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“I love being a leader and an example!!”

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged GU18 Whidbey Islanders, Lydia Peplinski, OHHS Wildcats, Soccer on July 1, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Lydia Peplinski

Lydia Peplinski lives and loves the soccer life.

One of the newest members of the GU18 Whidbey Islanders select squad, she has been playing since she was old enough to kick a ball.

As she heads into her sophomore year at Oak Harbor High School, the center midfielder is as much in love with the sport now as she has ever been.

“I love to run the field; I like having the responsibility of the flow of the game,” Peplinski said. “I love being a leader and an example.

“I enjoy being outside, I enjoy the big team, I enjoy the game, I enjoy everything about it,” she added. “There’s no place I’d rather be!”

The daughter of former OHHS athletes Tony and Amy (Preder) Peplinski (who I actually wrote about back in my Whidbey News-Times days), Lydia brings brains and natural skill to the pitch.

“My strengths would be my leadership, footwork and how, since I’ve been playing so long, I can predict the game,” Peplinski said. “I’m smart on the field.

“I definitely need to work on speed,” she added. “I can be extremely fast if I worked at it; three years ago I’d beat (teammate) Gillian (Crossley), now she’s whooshing past me!”

Peplinski started early (“I’ve been playing since I was a kid!”), and, after several years of rec ball, listened to the urging of coach Troy Cowan, who now calls the shots for the Coupeville High School girls’ soccer team, and moved up.

“He pushed me to join club soccer,” Peplinski said. “I began forming relationships with my teammates and had personally my favorite coach so far, Ryan Baker. ”

Away from the field, she is a strong student (“MATH! I love math! It comes easy to me and they seem to be the best classes”), and is deeply committed to music.

“MUSIC! Huge, huge part in my life,” Peplinski said. “I’ve played piano for eight years now and sax and clarinet for four. It’s my passion beside soccer.”

Now in her fourth season of select soccer, she draws on numerous people, both local and far away, for inspiration.

“Big influences? Everyone,” Peplinski said. “From the people that are on TV that are amazing soccer players, to my mom and dad with all their support, the coaches that made soccer fun and the people who don’t get the chance to play.”

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Speedy Crossley burns up soccer pitch!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged Gillian Crossley, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, OHHS Wildcats, Sean LeVine, Soccer on June 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Gillian Crossley

Crossley and her Islander teammates prepare for their season-opening tourney, where they threw down three straight shutouts. (Kali Barrio photo)

Gillian Crossley made a major change in her life when she was in the fifth grade.

A youth football cheerleader up until that point, Crossley began to hang out with soccer players. What began as a sideline activity soon transformed into a new way of life and a soccer junkie was born.

“I would go out at recess with them and kick a soccer ball around with them,” Crossley said. “That’s when I decided that I would like to try something new and join recreation soccer.”

Crossley, who will be a sophomore at Oak Harbor High School in the fall, never looked back.

After playing rec soccer for three seasons, she tried out for her first select squad, the GU13 Whidbey Islanders. Waiting for the call back put her on pins and needles, but paid off nicely.

“My friends that had been playing soccer for a long time wanted me to try out for their team,” Crossley said. “I was really nervous, but two long days passed, waiting for call backs and I had made it!

“My first season on select, my coach, Ryan Baker, would put me nowhere but center defense,” she added. “He pushed me to get better and become a stronger player. That is how I became a forward.”

Now in her fourth season of select soccer, Crossley, who bounced between JV and varsity for OHHS as a freshman, made the jump to join the GU18 Islanders this season.

She made her debut at a tournament this past weekend and immediately drew praise for her play.

“Gillian was a pleasant surprise at the striker position,” said Islander coach Sean LeVine. “Her speed and strong beast-like presence up top opened up several opportunities to score and we expect her to do very well.”

Crossley, who enjoys the camaraderie she has with her teammates (“I enjoy playing soccer with my friends. Soccer has caused me to develop strong relationships with some of the most amazing people”) is still a work in progress, like most younger players.

“As a player, one of my strongest strengths would be my speed,” she said. “It’s always nice to have speed as a forward.

“If there was something I had to work on, I would work on my foot skills and trapping the ball out of the air,” Crossley added. “I will really need to get used to trapping the ball out of the air with (Islander goalie) Kenzie (Perry’s) amazing drop kicks.”

When she’s not on the soccer pitch, Crossley enjoys her science classes (“I have always been best at science. I am lucky I enjoy science, because there are very few things I like”) and spending time with her friends.

And, since many of her friends are equally involved in soccer, so much the better.

“I am great friends with a lot of people from the Islander teams,” Crossley said. “It’s nice having friends that all have something in common.”

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Kenzie Perry is a beast!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged GU18 Whidbey Islanders, Kenzie Perry, Soccer on June 29, 2014| Leave a Comment »

The Islanders get a pre-game talk under dramatic skies. (Kali Barrio photo)

Kenzie Perry

No goals for you.

Assisted by a stellar defensive line, GU18 Whidbey Islanders net-minder Kenzie Perry was in lock-down mode this weekend, pulling off three consecutive shutouts at a prestigious tourney in Tukwila.

And while the Islanders couldn’t get one into the back of the net themselves, the resulting scoreless ties against the Rainier Valley Slammers, Kent United and Tacoma FC left Whidbey coach Sean LeVine sporting a huge smile.

“We had a great weekend! That’s three shutouts against some tough teams in a tough tourney!,” LeVine said. “This is the best our Islanders have ever done in this tourney.”

Making their third appearance in the tournament, which is held at the Starfire Complex, home of the Seattle Sounders, the Islanders fell just a goal short of playing in the championship.

And they did it at less than full-strength.

Whidbey had defender Paige Waterman playing on a sprained ankle, was missing several key players and had one star — Oak Harbor’s Becca Pabona — playing through jet lag after returning from a European trip Friday night.

“Our defense proved, once again, that they can take any team anytime,” LeVine said. “Kenzie was lights out in the goal, making at least one amazing diving save in each game.”

Her teammates flew around the field all weekend, chipping in with solid effort and inspired play.

Kendra Warwick and Erin Rosenkranz “solidified the center of the field and made it extremely difficult for the other team to play through the middle.”

Gillian Crossley, seeing her first action as a new member of the Islanders, “was a pleasant surprise at the striker position.”

“Her speed and strong beast-like presence up top opened up several opportunities to score and we expect her to do very well,” LeVine said.

“Our scoring machine, Jacalyn Hefflefinger, didn’t convert one this weekend, but she played out of position one day,” he added. “When she went to her bread and butter striker spot she was inches away from converting twice on crosses from Micky LeVine and Kendra.”

The Islanders will take a couple of days off to rest and then will begin preparing for their next tournament. That one is a huge one — the NCSAA College Showcase Tournament in Puyallup July 18-20.

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Young guns, grizzled vets get their kick on!!

Posted in Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged Rock on 3v3, Sean LeVine, Soccer, Zane Bundy on May 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Becca Pabona photobombs her Whidbey Islanders teammates (l t r, Micky LeVine, Jenn Spark, Kendra Warwick, ? Fields, Paige Waterman). (Kali Barrio photo)

Becca Pabona photobombs her Whidbey Islanders teammates (l to r, Micky LeVine, Jenn Spark, Kendra Warwick, Anni Field, Paige Waterman). (Kali Barrio photo)

The champs are (l to r) Andre Stone, Zane Bundy, Travis Curtin, Grayson Knott and Evan Amulexen-Coleman. (Janine Bundy photo)

The wily veterans — Kyle Nelson, Ben Leyva, Sean LeVine, Mark Bundy and Robert Wood.

Spark, Warwick and Field have a moment. (Kali Barrio photos)

Let’s get it on!

Soccer balls were flying all over the playing fields at Fort Nugent this weekend.

The annual Rock On 3v3 tourney attracted 60 teams and 320 participants, who all competed in a fast-paced game on a small field with no goalies and limited players.

The Coupeville-based squad of Kicks With Dre, headlined by current and former Wolf stars (Zane Bundy, Grayson Knott, Andre Stone, Evan Amulexen-Coleman and Travis Curtin), ran away with the adult division.

Their opponent in the final was almost a veteran squad comprised of local coaches and dads, the OGFC.

That squad (Sean LeVine, Mark Bundy, Kyle Nelson, Ben Leyva and Robert Wood) went unbeaten at 1-0-2, but came up just short of a win in its final match to get to the championship.

Multiple teams boasted talent from the the Whidbey Islanders GU18 select soccer squad, as well.

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