The Susitna-Valley High School Co-Ed Soccer Team is preparing to compete in their final tournament of the season. They’re hoping to claim the state championship trophy next weekend.
Su-Valley ended their regular season last weekend with 4-5-3 record. The Rams are coached this season by first-year coaches Joey McBrayer and Mariah Smith. McBrayer says the coaching staff has been pleased with the level of maturity they’ve seen out of the kids:
”The mentality of the student athletes that we have… for one team to just have Freshman all the way through Seniors on a coed team, for one sport, and to have that much unity within the team, is… it’s just really an amazing thing to see.”
McBrayer says it easy to notice the impressive talent in the mid-to-front line, the athletes that shoot and rack up lot of goals; players like Owen Drumm, Sawyer Love and Lily Esmailka (Es-mel-ka) , but he’s also been impressed with the backfield Rams.
“One thing that stands out this year was Wyatt Lewis, back as our sweeper, and Enzo Keenan as our stopper. Being able to have a really nice, fortified defense.”
McBrayer says Su-Valley’s record is not indicative of what they’re capable of in the upcoming tournament. The team experienced some injuries and unplanned absences during the season. Other players have stepped up to the plate however. And that versatility has also made their team strong.
“We’ve had players that have had to be moved around to meet the needs of injuries or illnesses within other players. Alea Sidelinger is being pushed into center-mid every once in a while or being pushed to outside-mid or asked to move up to a striker position. She’s been very flexible and it’s added a lot to our team that way.”
The Rams will compete this weekend, in Palmer, for the Alaska Co-Ed Soccer Championship.
