Charter girls win soccer championship

Photo by ROGER LALONDE

Roger LaLonde Staff The Marco Island Charter Middle School soccer team with their championship trophy from the Sunshine Athlhetic Conference tourney. Front row, from left, Morgan Burke, Lauren Hanscom, Jennifer Carter, Amanda Marinaro, Monika Lara, Frachesca Archacki, Madison Park, Lexie Lundquist, Annie Rosenblum and coach Tony Smith. Back row, from left, Christy Thorstenson, Cassidy Penzo, Katie Kristein, Adrienne Collilns, Ashley Schneller, Claudine Bolsen, Michaela Smith, Savannah Spina and Catherine Remaks. Not shown, Jessica Andrade, Hannah Clark and assistant coach Mark Lopez.

Photo by ROGER LALONDE

Mary Beth Schneller Eagle i Contributor Charter's Catherine Remaks slams the ball as Adrienne Collins, left and Cassidy Penzo move up field.

Photo by ROGER LALONDE

Mary Beth Schneller Eagle i Contributor Charter goalie Franchesca Archacki booms the ball away from her goal. Archacki was one of the many keys to an outstanding soccer season for the Lady Eagles.

When the Marco Island Charter Middle School soccer team walked onto the field at Community School on Thursday it thought it would be for the Big School title in the Sunshine Athletic Conference.

The Lady Eagles thought that if they won, they would play the Small School Division winner, St. Elizabeth Seton.

Then they saw the Conference championship trophy setting along the sidelines. According to Roger Raymond, Charter athletic director, St. Elizabeth Seton had indicated that its season ended on Friday. They would not be playing for the overall championship, scheduled for Monday.

That meant that the winner of the Charter-Community game would be the overall champion, even though Community had already lost twice to the Charter School.

However, Tony Smith, Eagles soccer coach, said that the Seahawks had some new players and “Community came out on fire, with quick ball passing and started out dominating the match. The ball traveled quickly from goal to goal, with both teams having a go at goal shots.” The first half ended with no goals scored, although there were chances.

At halftime Smith told his girls, “Let’s stick to our guns and do what we do best.”

A hand ball violation just outside the goal area by a Seahawks player gave the Eagles an opportunity to score.

Smith said, “Jessica Andrade took a 20-yarder and thundered it along the ground at what seemed like 600 mph and made the first goal for the Eagles. Quite frankly it was stunning.”

Having scored, the Eagles played more relaxed and scored again eight minutes later.

Smith said, “A left-foot cross pass by Claudine Bolsen was met by Lexie Lundquist who drove home goal number two. Digging in and pressing hard, the Eagles now looked like a miniature professional squad, up against a crumbling Seahawks team.”

Smith described Bolsen’s game-clinching shot “a lightning bolt.”

Smith’s MVPs for the final were Bolsen, Andrade, Savannah Spina, Lundquist and goal keeper Franchesca Archacki, “who was, without question, amazing,” Smith said. However, “The real MVP for this match, and the back bone of the Eagles for the last two huge games, was Jessica Andrade,” Smith said. “She made so many great plays during this match, including the first goal, switching the ball, defending and making plays come alive.”

The Eagles made it to the final game by downing Seacarest Country Day School, 6-1.

Bolsen scored three times, while Christy Thorstenson, Lundquist and game captain Madison Park each scored. All were named MVPs by Smith.

For the season the girls went 13-0-1. Goals scored totaled 48 with 14 goal scorers. Only nine goals were scored by their opponents. Scorers included, Bolsen, 16, Lundquist, 9, Andrade, 7, Michaela Smith, 5, Hanna Clark, 3 and Annie Rosemblum, Cassidy Penzo, Adrienne Collins, Madison Park, Monika Lara, Thortstensen, Jenny Carter and Lauren Hanscom with one goal each.

In the last two seasons the team has gone, 30-0-2. Smith was assisted by Mark Lopez, the Lely High girls soccer coach.