Former Fenix 89 players combined with several Santos, FC Alliance and Western Washington University
players to form the Greater Renton Football Club 89 Blue team for the GU19 Washington Youth
Soccer State Championship Tournament. Whether you call them "Fenix Plus", or
"Fentos FC", or "The Alliance" or the "Greater Renton 'Fenix' Club"
("GRFC"), the team had only a couple of practices together before the
tournament, enjoyed great success, and had lots of fun!
Coached by GFRC Coaching Director Leighton O'Brien and Fenix Assistant Pete Rasch, the
girls hardly missed a beat after being away at college for a year, arriving on the pitch at the Preston soccer fields the first night of the tournament displaying some new skills, greater
individual strength, and the same spirit that has made them one of the toughest teams
in their age group. After a half of finding their collective touch, the girls went into full swing and started connecting
passes and putting the ball in the net. First to fall were the HPFC
Eagles 89 Blue, a team made up of many familar faces with good size and
a physical and defensive-minded game that eventually earned them second place in their
bracket.
On Saturday, Greater Renton played MRFC 90 Blue and got rolling right
away, putting the ball in the net early and often. Sunday was a busy
day, with GRFC meeting the SSC Falcons in a morning Quarterfinals match. Renton got off
to a fast start, putting the ball in the net within the first two
minutes, and finishing the game with a front line made up of all three
goalies. Before the end of the day, each of them had scored a goal.
The
Semifinals match played Sunday evening was a marathon event against a scrappy FC
Milan team from South King County. Milan had some good athletes with
plenty of attitude, and they made the GRFC girls work much harder to
get positive results. But in end, GRFC prevailed and moved on to the
Finals against an old nemisis Spokane Shadow. Spokane dispatched
Washington Premier FC in the other Sunday evening Semi in dramatic fashion scoring two
goals in the last 5 minutes to take the match 3-1.
The Finals were held at high
noon on Memorial Day, and the old Fenix players found themselves in a
familiar place up against Spokane for all the marbles for the fourth time in
five years. The match started out with GRFC on the attack, but Spokane
gathered themselves together and started to build methodically towards
the GRFC goal. A corner kick 22 minutes in awarded to Spokane resulted
in a good opportunity and they capitalized on it, going up 1-0. The
remainder of the first half, Spokane conitinued to pressure while GRFC
had several dangerous counter attacks.
In the second half, GRFC came out
with renewed intensity and began stringing together chance after
chance while their defense locked down on Spokane's forwards. Tension
built towards the end of the match as GRFC's offensive attack earned multiple corner kicks and had Spokane back on
their heals. A few last minute melays in front of the Spokane goal gave GRFC
some great opportunities to even the score, but time ran out, giving Spokane
the game and the first place Trophy.
We have to take our hats off to Spokane. They have provided great
competition over the years and have
made our entire soccer family stronger as a result. We wish them GREAT LUCK at Far West Regionals, and in all their endeavors afterwards.
THANKS TO ALL THE PLAYERS, PARENTS AND COACHES WHO SPENT THEIR HOLIDAY WEEKEND WITH GRFC 89 BLUE - GOOD FRIENDS - GOOD SOCCER - GOOD FUN!!!
Game Results:
GRFC 89 Blue 3 - HPFC Eagles 89 Blue 0
GRFC 89 Blue 5 - MRFC 90 Blue 1
GRFC 89 Blue 7 - SSC Falcons 0
GRFC 89 Blue 4 - FC Milan 0
GRFC 89 Blue 0 - Spokane Shadow 1
GRFC 89 Blue Roster - Back Row: Leighton O'Brien (coach), Jamie Arthurs, Alicia Patton, Marie Burn, Tatiana Shefts, Pfeiffer Bloecker, Lauren "LT" Thompson, Brandee Marone, Emily Warman, Megan Chapin, Merrit Peterson - Front Row: Ashley Hogan, Kaitlyn Keyes, Ashley Engel, Charlotte White, Maddy Rasch, Haley Olson, Pete Rasch (coach) - not pictured: Toni Carnovale (played in final), Mackenzie Harrison, Andrea Loh, Hannah Modin
