KES Senior Girls' Soccer Progress With Some Tough Results

Our KES Senior Girls’ Soccer team certainly met their match this past week as they played a two-game set against perennial Valley District power-house Horton High School Griffins. On Saturday afternoon, both teams put on a true display of grit and determination, especially during a 40-minute torrential deluge on the Jakeman Field artificial surface. Had the game been played on almost any other field, assuredly the match officials would have stopped the game and declared the field unplayable due to enormous puddling on and over a grass field’s surface. However, much credit goes to both teams for persevering and carrying on in the face of sheets of rain pounding them and the field of play. After ninety hard minutes of end-to-end action, great passing, hard tackles and a few squandered chances on both sides, the 0-0 result, and one point apiece in the standings, was a fair outcome for both teams. As it turned out, KES and Horton shared top spot in the standings with 3 wins and a tie, good enough for 10 points each following this encounter. This game set up a great re-match for Tuesday afternoon, this time at the home of the Griffins, when both teams met again at 4:00pm with first place on the line, and just in time for their game kit to have dried out!

The KES Defensive Player of the Game goes to Lennon Rutledge who withstood the downpour to earn the shutout. The Attacking Player of the Game for KES was awarded to Lily Gale. Lily’s ability to maintain possession of the ball for her team and complete a high percentage of her passes meant our KES girls were able to play for long periods of time on the Horton end of the field.

The Player of the Game award, as chosen by the Horton coaching staff, was awarded to Jill Griffith who filled in admirably on defence at centre-back, and when she pushed forward into the attack, created a lot of pressure for the opposing defenders.

On a bright and sunny Tuesday afternoon both squads met for the return leg of the home & home series. Horton lay in wait for their visitors, eager to show their high pressure and smothering defensive tactics that would force a number of early KES turnovers deep in the KES end. Unfortunately, the Griffins made us pay twice as we conceded two goals by half-time. Horton scored twice more in the second half to soundly defeat KES to the tune of a 4-0 score. A couple of valuable lessons were learned on Tuesday. One, we need to be mentally prepared and focussed from the game’s opening kick-off; and two, we need to have the mind-set to match or supersede the home team’s energy level. The great news is we will have a chance to demonstrate whether these lessons were fully grasped when we take on the visiting Parkview Education Centre Panthers at home on Saturday at noon on the friendly confines of Jakeman Field. The game will complete both the home & away series with Parkview as well as finish the short 2020 league season schedule. Saturday’s game is an important one as it will determine who wins home field advantage for the league semi-final playoff match – between the panthers and KES!

KES Defensive Player of the Game: Rendi Ashley was chosen for her relentless pressure on the ball and nullifying a central midfield duo of opponents who are senior players.

KES Offensive Player of the Game: Reegan Wagg was selected for consistently getting past her mark on the wing and then for pushing through midfield to create gaps and shots in the second half.

The Player of the Game goes to centre-back Neila MacDonald. Neila was here…Neila was there…Neila was everywhere on the field to lead her team and demonstrate great leadership and a consistently high level of quality play.

This Saturday, October 14^th…be loud and be proud of your KES Senior Girls’ Soccer team as they take on Parkview at home at noon!

Go KES!