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Raiders race to the ITCL top
Photo
Alyssa Schauer, right, of Columbiana, attempts to kick the ball, as teammate Carolyn Gallo, center, and Katelin Smith (15) of South Range battle for position during Wednesday’s soccer match in Columbiana. South Range won 3-0.
By TOM WILLIAMS
COLUMBIANA
In the four seasons of the South Range High girls soccer program, the Raiders have gone from a one-victory season to the team to beat for the Inter Tri-County League Tier One crown.
“It feels great,” said senior forward Katelin Smith who scored two goals in Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Columbiana. “This has been our goal for so long.
“Last year, we kept saying ‘ITCL’ and we didn’t quite get there,” Smith said of their 6-1-0 start. “We just feel so good right now.”
The Raiders are 4-0-0 in league play and coach Bill Coler credits his five seniors (Smith, Emily Meals, Kelli Johnston, Marie Stephenson and Emily Deiger) who played in that one-win 2007 season for leading the way.
“Basically, all five have been starters the past four years,” Coler said.
Smith said there is a “huge difference” from their start three seasons ago.
“We were all new to each other, we all came from different rec leagues,” Smith said of her freshman year.
In their second season, the Clippers (1-1-3, 1-1-2) can relate.
“We grew today,” Columbiana coach Julie Kimpel said after her team kept the game scoreless until the final five minutes of the first half.
The Clippers’ success had the Raiders confounded because in a summer scrimmage, South Range scored eight times in the first half.
Frustrated and apprehensive is how Coler described the Raiders as the clock ticked down to intermission.
“We were definitely frustrated,” Smith agreed. “They were playing a defense that we weren’t used to, more of a man-to-man. It took us a while to get into the swing of things.”
Smith chased those blues when she scored twice in 27 seconds.
Her first goal came on an assist from junior forward Anna Cullar who passed the ball into the center and the ball rebounded to Smith who beat Clippers goalkeeper Tori Drago with a low shot.
“I aimed, I knew I had a chance with an open shot,” Smith said. “I was thinking ‘keep it low’ because I have a problem with kicking over the goal.”
The second goal came on a breakaway.
“I run track and I think that has helped with my speed,” Smith said.
Anchoring the defense was junior Kristin “Shorty” Robinson who made four saves for her career-high third shutout.
“I like putting pressure on myself,” said Robinson of playing goal. She also catches for the South Range softball team and plays basketball, but called soccer “my favorite sport.
“We all click well, we don’t fight with each other,” Robinson said of South Range’s success.
As for her nickname, the 5-foot-81/2 athlete said she was given it when she was 10 by her softball coach, Mitch Moore.
“I was taller than my softball coach and he said the only rule on the team was that we couldn’t be taller than him,” Robinson said. “So he ironically gave me the name of ‘Shorty.’”
Sophomore Toni Stephenson scored the Raiders’ other goal in the second half on an assist by Cullar.
Kimpel said the summer scrimmage helped the Clippers “figure out who needed to be where in terms of defense. We changed our formation tonight.
“It kinda cost us some offense,” said Kimpel of moving Katie Stanley to sweeper.