Fénix 89 Red: News: Greater Renton Football Club 89 Blue in Finals of GU19 State Championship!

Former Fénix 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 "Fénix Plus", or "Féntos FC", or "The Alliance" or the "Greater Renton 'Fénix' 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 Fénix 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