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Posts Tagged ‘Jacki Ginnings’

Allie Hanigan rules the courts!!

Posted in Girls Tennis, tagged , , , , on March 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Allie Hanigan -- numero uno on the hardcourts in 2014.

Allie Hanigan — numero uno on the hardcourts in 2014.

She came. She saw. She kicked her teammates rears.

Living up to her advance billing as the top returning Coupeville High School girls’ tennis player, senior Allie Hanigan successfully defended her hardcourt honor and will enter the season as the #1 singles player for the Wolves.

She survived a pre-season team tourney to claim the title, while junior Jacki Ginnings, who played as part of a doubles team with Micky LeVine last season, claimed runner-up honors.

The netters, who will be the first CHS team to kick off the spring season at home when they host Port Townsend Monday, Mar. 17 (4 PM), are still shuffling players as coach Ken Stange looks for the perfect combinations.

Recent partnerings include new doubles duos comprised of Samantha Martin and Sydney Aparicio and basketball buddies Wynter Thorne and McKenzie Bailey.

“We’re rounding it all out,” Stange said.

And, while he may tinker with his lineup up until the last moment, and then some more after that, he’ll do so with one thing set in stone — Hanigan is The Woman. End of story.

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Islanders slap down punch-happy foes!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged , , , , , on February 23, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Paige Waterman (far right) scored "the goal of the season, so far" Saturday to spark her team's 2-0 win. (Kalie Barrio photo)

  Paige Waterman (far right) scored “the goal of the season, so far” Saturday to spark her team’s 2-0 win. And yes, this photo is obviously not from this weekend — when snow threatened for much of the day. (Kali Barrio photo)

The other team threw punches, but the Whidbey Islanders GU18 select soccer squad landed the knockout Saturday.

Facing a rough-and-tumble rival in Seattle United Shoreline, the Islanders overcame having two of its players lit up and thrashed their hosts 2-0.

The win, coming against a team Whidbey had tied the previous two times out, was very satisfying for Islander coach Sean LeVine.

It might even make Kendra Warwick (punch to the face) and Tori Wellman (elbow to the solar plexus) a little happy, once they start breathing normally again.

“This team has become somewhat of a rival for us; both (previous) games were very, very physical and left our team with a desire for some payback!,” LeVine said. “I was not surprised by the outcome. Happy and extremely proud, yes, but not surprised.

“While it was a competitive match, we clearly dominated — most of the time.”

Playing with a full squad for only the second time this season, the Islanders controlled the flow on both sides of the field.

Keeper Kenzie Perry was her usual dazzling self, smoothly making 16 saves while playing behind a superb band of defenders.

“All of their shots came from distance in front of our defense and Kenzie did not have to work too hard,” LeVine said. “They had no chances from behind our stout defense.”

When they had the ball on the attack, Whidbey converted with style.

Paige Waterman threw down the “goal of the season, so far” smartly heading the ball into the net off of a crisp corner kick from Jenn Spark.

Jacalyn Hefflefinger also connected, punching in a shot inside the box on a set-up from Bailee Olson.

It was the second straight game Olson and Hefflefinger had teamed up for a goal.

“I think we have found a good striking duo, and I plan to continue that so long as we have a full team,” LeVine said. “These two combine speed, skill, and a healthy dose of scrappiness that make them very dangerous in the box!

“I owe Paige a coffee card! All I can say is WOW!!,” he added. “That is how you score with your head! Paigey was not going to be denied getting to that ball, as usual, but this time she found the ball squarely with her forehead directing it downward with pace, putting her whole upper body behind it (just as taught). Picture perfect goal!”

While he was happy with the play and effort of his roster from top to bottom, giving big props to Becca Pabona for her play on the back line, LeVine singled out defender Jacki Ginnings as his player of the game.

“She found her niche and comfort zone as a defender and has excelled in that spot,” LeVine said. “However, she excelled to the point that we see her as a player that can be dominant for our team in any position we put her in.

“Considering our team has had some trouble scoring, we decided to move Jacki’s dominance into an attacking midfield role. While she expressed some concerns about this move, she still stepped in and did it, and did it very well, as expected,” he added. “She may not have made the stat line, but her attack on the dribble put the ball into the box in the first 10 minutes of the game and created the opportunity for our strikers to score!”

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“Rust … what rust!?!”

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged , , on January 19, 2014| 1 Comment »

Jacki Ginnings (John Fisken photo)

Jacki Ginnings (John Fisken photo)

Jacki’s back!

Oh, and they played a soccer game, too. A tough, hard-fought 0-0 tie Saturday between the GU18 Whidbey Islanders and visiting Seattle United Shoreline in a State Cup contest.

But the big news was the return to the pitch of Coupeville High School star defender Jacki Ginnings, who has battled concussion issues for several months since taking a ferocious hit to the head in the fall while playing for the Wolves.

Cleared to play, she returned with a vengeance in her season debut.

“Rust … what rust!?!,” bellowed Islander coach Sean LeVine. “We’ve seen it all week at practice; this lady is supposed to have been sitting at home eating Bon Bons for the past two-and-a-half months, but she’s got a good touch, smart defense, and she’s leveling her coaches!

“Today was no different,” he added. “She played intelligent, tough defense, as all our defenders did, and she added to the offense with some blazing runs into the attack, nearly finishing her last one with a goal.”

Ginning’s fire in the belly was typical of the play shown by the Islanders, as they fought for every ball.

“It was a scrappy match,” LeVine said.

Seattle United pushed hard in the first half, but Islander goalie Kenzie Perry and her band of hard-nosed defenders blunted every charge. Then Whidbey turned up the heat in the second half.

“First half they seemed to have the ball on our half for most of the time. They seemed to be winning most of the balls in the air,” LeVine said. “Second half we got our team refocused on winning the 50/50 balls and increasing their hustle and aggressiveness.

“They responded!,” he added. “We dominated possession, passing, aerial duels, and shots on goal.”

Along with Ginnings return, the Islanders welcomed Bailee Olson to the pitch, as she made her debut in an Islander uniform.

Her presence help make up for the absence of Jennifer Spark, one of the team’s top defenders, who sat out with a concussion from the previous weekend’s game.

“While still not quite 100% (foot injury), Bailee put in a good chunk of time,” LeVine said. “She hustles, she works very hard to get to the ball and we’re excited to see what she can do down the stretch.”

The Islanders will have a busy schedule next weekend, with games on both Saturday and Sunday.

After playing a State Cup game on the road against the Vancouver Timbers (Sat-25), Whidbey will participate in a college showcase tournament, the PSPL Winter Showcase, in Tukwila Sunday.

That event will have 20+ college coaches in the stands to scout talent.

“They’ll be there from the east coast, mid west, and locally,” LeVine said. “We are excited about getting our players seen by those colleges.”

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