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Posts Tagged ‘Sean LeVine’

Five straight wins for red-hot Islanders!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged , , , , on March 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Jacalyn Hefflefinger (right) has scored five goals in the last five games.

Jacalyn Hefflefinger (right) has scored five goals in her last five games.

Not even the refs can stop this team.

Despite “900 offsides calls,” the Whidbey Islanders GU18 select soccer team rolled to its fifth straight win Sunday afternoon, bouncing their hosts, Tracyton Velocity, 2-1 in a game that wasn’t remotely as close as the score might indicate.

Now 6-2 in league play, the Islanders got big goals from Jacalyn Hefflefinger and Bailee Olson, and would have netted more if over-eager refs hadn’t blown the whistle every three seconds.

It was Hefflefinger’s fifth goal in as many games, while Olson netted her first score as a member of the Islanders.

Whidbey used a superb bit of teamwork to grab its first goal.

Jenn Spark, the master of the corner kick, popped a ball to Paige Waterman, who laid it off to a rampaging Erin Rosenkranz.

Her shot on goal whacked a Velocity defender and bounced cleanly to Hefflefinger, who did what she does better than just about anyone on the pitch — put it in the back of the net while the goalie grasps at empty air.

Frustrated by Tracyton’s offsides trap, the Islanders turned it to their advantage on Olson’s goal.

Timing her run perfectly to keep the whistle dry in the ref’s mouth, she snared a beautifully placed pass from Hailey Erbe and crunched the ball past the diving keeper.

With a lead to hold, Whidbey goalie Kenzie Perry and her rugged band of defenders were fairly spotless, shutting Tracyton down.

“Our defense remains, easily, the best D in the league!,” said Islander coach Sean LeVine. “The D made one error today and they capitalized, which is a fluke! I’d be perfectly happy with one error per game.”

The Islanders, who sit just one point out of second place in league play, now host three straight home games at Ft. Nugent.

Whidbey plays twice next weekend — Saturday, Mar. 15 (12:30 kickoff) and Sunday, Mar. 16 (2 PM).

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Can’t lose! Won’t lose!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged , , , , on March 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Jenn Spark (John Fisken photo)

  Jenn Spark was a two-way terror Sunday, scoring the winning goal and nabbing her first yellow card for a “nasty, almost legal” slide tackle. (John Fisken photo)

The win streak lives on for another week.

It’s at four straight and counting for the Whidbey Islanders GU18 select soccer squad, after it capped a perfect weekend with a 2-1 win over the ISC Arsenal in Skyline Sunday.

With two wins in two days, the Islanders are 5-2 and in third place in their league. They’ll try to keep the streak alive next Sunday when they travel to Tracyton.

Sunday was a tale of two halves — one virtually flawless, one horrid, but not bad enough to snatch victory away.

“The second half shall be ‘the half to never speak of’,” said Islander coach Sean LeVine. “I’m not really sure what happened; I’ll have to review tape, but it was … well, I won’t speak of it.”

The “cold, wet, nasty weather” seemed to sap the life out of the Whidbey players, but they held on, surrendering just one long, booming goal into the left upper corner of the net.

The first half, by contrast, had been an impressive show, as the Islanders dominated, controlling the flow of the game and raining down shots on the Arsenal goalie.

Hailey Erbe opened the scoring with her first goal of the season, deflecting a shot from Jacki Ginnings into the back of the net.

After numerous close calls from Ginnings, Kendra Warwick, Micky LeVine, Jacalyn Hefflefinger and Bailee Olson, the Islanders got that elusive second score on a free kick from Jenn Spark.

Olson was gang-tackled by two Arsenal defenders at the top of the box, giving Spark her opportunity. She immediately responded, “ripping a laser shot over their wall, deflecting the ball off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net.”

It was one of two highlights for Spark, who later notched her first yellow card for a “nasty, but almost legal, slide tackle.”

Olson, who left the game after being taken down by a hard slide tackle, was LeVine’s choice for player of the game

“Bailee continues to put so much pressure on their defense that it creates many opportunities for her teammates,” LeVine said. “It also frustrates the defense and earns us free kicks in dangerous areas.

“I suspect she doesn’t even realize how much she contributes with her hustle and tenacity,” he added. “But she definitely deserves a lot of credit for our recent offensive success!”

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Hefflefinger has the magic touch!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged , , , , , on March 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Jacalyn Hefflefinger is en fuego on the soccer field.

Jacalyn Hefflefinger is en fuego on the soccer field.

Jacalyn Hefflefinger is a young woman on fire.

And yes, I could have gone for the easy “Hunger Games” reference there, but Hefflefinger is no mere girl. She’s a goal-scoring machine tearing apart soccer foes in a way even Katniss Everdeen would respect.

Saturday she threw down two more goals, giving her four in her last three games, to spark the Whidbey Islanders GU18 select squad to a thrilling come-from-behind 2-1 victory over host NSC Evolution in Bothell.

Trailing at the half, the Islanders started feeding Hefflefinger in the second half, and her golden leg put the boom down.

Jenn Spark set her up on a corner kick for the tying goal, while Micky “Two Fists” LeVine out-battled the Evolution keeper in the box, winning the ball and putting it on Hefflefinger’s foot for the win.

Islander coach Sean LeVine, basking in the afterglow of his team’s third straight win, praised his players left and right, starting with his unstoppable striker.

“WOW! I don’t recall having a player with a stat line like that (four goals in three games),” he said. “She has been outstanding this season, but the move to striker is paying off!

“The downside for Jac, is now we expect her to score, ha!,” LeVine added. “Just kidding, keep working hard, you are an inspiring player for our team!”

The soccer guru also sidestepped tradition and gave a player of the game nod to his own offspring.

“I almost never do this (one of the many down sides of being a coach’s kid), but Micky cannot be denied today!,” LeVine said. “She was on fire at right mid today! Especially second half, she just seemed to win the ball and have a positive play every time she was near it.

“She played from their box to our box and saved us at least twice when the ball found itself in our box with only her and a white jersey near it!,” he added. “Great job today, Micky! By the way, you’re my favorite player and I love you!”

Capping the day’s strong team-wide performance was a surprise yellow card handed out to mild-mannered Erin Rosenkranz. While it caught LeVine by surprise, he liked the chippiness it rewarded.

“Erin’s yellow card was another inspiring moment,” LeVine said. “I think we were all too shocked and confused to argue with the ref about that, but I’m pretty sure he got that wrong.

“Unless she’s been secretly hitting people all this time and just not getting caught!,” he added with a laugh. “Hmmm, we’ll have to keep an eye on her…”

The Islanders will try to stretch their win streak to four when they hit the road again for a Sunday morning game against ISC Arsenal at Skyline Community Fields.

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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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Bite us, Mother Nature!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged , , , on February 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »

"Spring" soccer in the Northwest. (Kerry Rosenkranz photo)

“Spring” soccer in the Northwest. (Kerry Rosenkranz photo)

"We could have been basketball players and stayed inside a nice, warm gym. Son of a..." (Sean LeVine photo)

“We could have been basketball players and stayed inside a nice, warm gym. Son of a…” (Sean LeVine photo)

They’re better than the mailman.

Through mud, rain, wind, a frozen tundra and now snow, the GU18 Whidbey Islanders soccer squad can not be denied. If there’s a game to be played, they will be there, and likely win.

That was the case Sunday, as the Islanders left behind a super-thin drizzle of white stuff on Whidbey and braved a much-thicker covering in Renton. Weather or not, they returned home with a 1-0 win and an ecstatic coach.

“Why not snow?!?!,” bellowed Islander guru Sean LeVine. “Winter soccer is not for sissies; you ladies rock!!”

There was little doubt the Islanders would play, if they could navigate the roads to Renton. With a full roster for the first time this season, they had to take advantage of actually having a bench full of healthy subs.

Fired up and ready to dominate, Whidbey was slowed more by the weather than anything else. Still, the Islanders controlled the game from start to finish, with only the snow keeping the score close.

“Despite the slog, we dominated every aspect of the game (shots, tackles, areal duels), but most impressively was our dominance in time of possession,” LeVine said. “They challenged us a bit more in the first half, but second half was all Islanders playing keep away on their half.”

Bailee Olson broke the game open with a “beautiful assist,” flicking the ball onto teammate Jacalyn Hefflefinger’s foot. The fleet-footed gunner one-touched a chip over the goalie’s head into the back of the net, and things were essentially done.

Whidbey kept coming, however, and had what should have been a second goal denied when it was stopped at the last second, not by the Renton keeper, but by a chunk of snow.

“I think the scoreline would be more dominant in our favor in good conditions,” LeVine said. “But our players played hard and got the win in some tough conditions.

“Becca Pabona had some notable play today, stepping into the center midfield role for the first time this season (since we finally have a healthy team) and partnering with Kendra Warwick to be the linchpin in the possession game and even crackin’ a few shots that barely missed,” he added. “It was a memorable game!”

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