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Kohler’s hat trick gives South Range girls soccer first district championship
Kohler’s hat trick gives South Range girls soccer first district championship
By Dan Hiner
NILES
It didn’t take long for Bree Kohler to make an impact in South Range girls soccer’s 3-1 district final win over Southeast.
Kohler scored four minutes into the game for the first of her three goals, leading to South Range’s first girls soccer district title.
“I just wanted to win and I was doing whatever it took,” Kohler said. “I didn’t care if it was me or anyone else, we just wanted to put points up.”
Kohler scored off a free kick by Hannah Ritchie 11 minutes into the game to give the Raiders (13-7) a 2-1 lead. She also scored an unassisted goal with 23 minutes remaining in the second half to put the game away.
On her final goal, Kohler was well defended by Southeast’s Lydia Fairchild in the right corner. But the ball found an opening between Fairchild, goalkeeper Brittany Bolevich and the right post.
“I told her to put the ball on the frame, near the frame. It’ll be interesting to see the film [and] how that ball went in,” South Range coach Paul Lindstrom said. “Somehow it went in. When you put it on the frame, sometimes good things happen.”
Ashley McKenzie scored off an assist from Allissa Pow with 32:31 left in the first half for Southeast’s (14-3-2) only goal.
Elizabeth Veneskey stopped 10 shots for the Raiders while Bolevich made five saves for the Pirates.
“Elizabeth [Veneskey] did a great job and the defensive line did a great job,” Lindstrom said. “Our captain Natalie Plunkett anchoring the middle, we have a freshmen Hannah Ritchie — she was playing back there — and senior Marlaina Slabach.
“They’re athletic girls back there playing tough against a tough team.”
The win was a confidence boost for the Raiders. The last time South Range and Southeast met, the Pirates won 2-0 in a Division II sectional semifinal in 2016.
The girls soccer district title is the latest South Range athletics achievement.
The baseball team won the school’s first team state title in the spring, the football team advanced to regionals in 2017 and Kohler helped the Raiders’ girls basketball team reach the regional finals last season.
Lindstrom credits the South Range athletic department for scheduling higher level teams and staying committed to improving throughout the season.
“We’re also helped by playing a Division II schedule,” Lindstrom said. “We’re playing in the [Northeast 8]. We play Division II Niles twice, Poland twice, Lakeview twice, Hubbard twice, Girard twice. So we play some tough, tough games and that’s why our regular season record was 9-7.
“But we’ve been talking all season. ‘Don’t get down, girls. This is making us tougher and making us better. Come playoff time we’ll have some more experience that other teams may not have.’”
South Range might have some injuries in the regional round.
Kohler suffered an ankle injury in the first half but played through it. Kiley McConnell and Ritchie weren’t so lucky.
Ritchie left the second half with a right leg injury and McConnell hit her head in the final minute of the game. Ritchie didn’t return and Lindstrom said the coaches will keep an eye on McConnell.
The Raiders will play Kirtland in a regional semifinal Tuesday at Solon High School.
“It’s pretty big because we’ve never made it this far before and we’re trying to prove a point that our program is getting better over the years,” Kohler said. “We’re gonna do the best we can to win.”