BEMIDJI 鈥� If you told Addy McCrady a year ago that she鈥檇 be a difference maker on the Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 girls soccer team鈥檚 back line in a Section 8-3A playoff game, she wouldn鈥檛 have believed you.
She might not have believed you if you told her that three months ago either.
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鈥淚鈥檓 new, I鈥檝e never played defense before,鈥� McCrady said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my first year.鈥�
McCrady didn鈥檛 look like a rookie defender on Thursday night at Chet Anderson Stadium. Instead, she and her defending compatriots 鈥� Alivia Thompson and Matjea Malterud 鈥� looked like seasoned professionals in the third-seeded Lumberjacks鈥� 1-0 win over No. 6 Sartell to advance to the section semifinals.
鈥淚n a game that was chaotic, they held down their roles,鈥� Logan Larsen said. 鈥淭hey kept their shape, for the most part. ... In a game that was mostly out of our control, our defense controlled it.鈥�
Larsen pitched the idea for McCrady to move out of her previous role to defense before the season. It was a conversation that gave her pause.
鈥淚 was a little scared when he brought it up to me, honestly,鈥� McCrady said. 鈥淚t takes a different mindset to play defense, and I鈥檇 never done that before. But I was ready for a new challenge on the team. 鈥� The mindset of having to drop back instead of keeping forward with the team was hard at first.鈥�
Now, with over a dozen games at defense on her resume, McCrady is settled in.
鈥淥h, I鈥檓 way more comfortable now,鈥� she said emphatically. 鈥淟ike 110% more comfortable than I did before.鈥�
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The comfortability showed as BHS protected a 1-0 lead for 78 minutes.
With under 10 minutes left, the Lumberjacks鈥� back line made life easy on keeper Clara Bieber. Malterud, Thompson and McCrady chased down Kennedi Gack in the midfield to force a bad-angle shot. On an ensuing corner kick, Bieber made her biggest save of the night, jumping to pull down a header from Lillian Breitkreutz.
Those were the only two shots Bemidji surrendered on Thursday night.
鈥淚t speaks a lot to her attitude that the team is the most important to her,鈥� Larsen said of McCrady鈥檚 willingness to change positions. 鈥淥f course, she still wants a goal. Like every defender, she wants to be a forward, but she鈥檚 embraced that role and hasn鈥檛 complained once.鈥�
Bemidji couldn鈥檛 have gotten off to a better start. The Jacks launched three shots on Sartell keeper Brynn Darling less than two minutes into the contest. The first was from Stella Schoonover, then Kate Corradi took a second shot off a rebound.
The third time was the charm for Mya Thompson. She cleaned up the chaos in the box to put Bemidji ahead 1-0 in the second minute with an assist from Corradi.
Thompson, a freshman, picked a good time for her first varsity goal.
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鈥淚t was huge, obviously,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the goal that makes the win. It was one second of composure that came from a freshman while everybody was trying to bang around. She put one hard pass on the ground, and that鈥檚 what made the whole game.鈥�
Bemidji鈥檚 first home game this season was against Sartell, a contest in which the Lumberjacks won 4-1, snapping a five-game losing streak against the Sabres.
With a Section 8-3A semifinal match against No. 2 St. Michael-Albertville on deck, Wednesday was a fitting way for BHS to wrap up home competition for the season. The Knights defeated No. 7 Moorhead to earn a second home game in the Section 8-3A Tournament.
鈥淭he challenge we had when we initially played them is they possess so well front to back,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淭heir defense can pass to their keeper to spread us out. We鈥檝e had to develop a whole better shape to not get thinned out. They have a forward who set the state record for the (400-meter run), and that鈥檚 not their only strength up top.鈥�
Larsen added that having speed on his defensive unit will help combat STMA鈥檚 skilled forward group. The Jacks are eying their first trip to state since 2019.
鈥淥ur team is very excited,鈥� McCrady said. 鈥� We actually made a poster that says 鈥楽tate鈥� on it. It鈥檚 our goal for this season, and we all signed it, we all put our will in it. We want this to be our year and make it to state. We鈥檙e all determined to get there.鈥�
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