BEMIDJI 鈥� After graduating its top two goal scorers from last season, the Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 girls soccer team needed new faces to contribute offensively.
In steps Stell Schoonover and Isabelle Vaughn.
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In a home-opening contest against Sartell, two of the Lumberjacks鈥� rookies cracked the score sheet for the first time, helping BHS snap a five-game losing streak against the Sabres with a 4-1 win.
鈥淚鈥檓 really happy, specifically with the mental fortitude we showed,鈥� BHS head coach Logan Larsen said. 鈥淚f you have a bunch of players who look at the past and those losses, you can step into a game and play week. We stepped in and played tough right away while still playing smart. We鈥檙e really starting to play with 11.鈥�
Schoonover鈥檚 strike came in the 39th minute. Mya Thompson booted a cross to the middle of the 18-yard box before the ball skimmed off a Sartell defender.
Schoonover, a sophomore, was in the right place at the right time, picking up the loose change and scoring her first varsity goal.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting,鈥� Schoonover said. 鈥淭hat one felt good. It definitely gives you more confidence. It kind of pushes you to go out there and get another one.鈥�
From there, Schoonover received a noticeable boost.
鈥淪he is an amazing athlete,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淭he coolest thing about her is she鈥檚 extremely humble. She鈥檚 kind of goofy, likes to laugh stuff off. She鈥檚 a great kid to coach and watch play the game because she鈥檚 smart and talented with good coordination.鈥�
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Vaughn, a junior, needed just four minutes to get her first after Schoonover got hers. She launched a ball from roughly 30 yards out over Sartell keeper Brynn Darling鈥檚 head to double the lead.
鈥淚 wondered if it was luck, but she said she had her eyes up and saw where the keeper was,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淭hat reinforces our perspective as coaches that she is a smart player and can recognize chances like that.鈥�
The Lumberjacks鈥� third strike, however, came from a veteran. Kate Corradi shook a Sartell defender and shelved the ball over Darling's head. It was the third BHS goal in six minutes of game time.
鈥淚t makes me happy (to see her score) because she鈥檚 worked so hard,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to see players get rewarded.鈥�
Sartel got a spark on a misplayed punt in the midfield. Darling booted one from her goal to the midfield, and Lilly Breitkreutz took advantage off of a Bemidji error. She beat Jacks goalkeeper Clara Bieber to cut the Sabres鈥� deficit to 3-1.
Without Bieber, though, Breitkreutz鈥檚 tally could been far more damaging. She thwarted Sartell鈥檚 first scoring chance on a through ball midway through the first half. Breitkreutz found a seam through the middle of the field but lost the foot race to the goal.
Bieber was called on again in the first half, this time making a crucial save. A back-line error led to a chance for Sartell鈥檚 Mollie Statsick, who tried to beat Bieber low. Bieber charged to make her first save of the match in the 32nd minute.
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Statsick jolted another Sartell chance three minutes later. She found a step on Addison McCrady and delivered a cross to Brietkreutz, who directed the ball toward Bieber standing in the middle of the goal.
After Breitkreutz finally scored, the Sabres pushed for more. Bemidji鈥檚 back line was tested in the ensuing minutes. That was until Corradi added another to put the match to bed.
From about 25 yards out, Corradi scored an insurance goal 鈥� her third of the season 鈥� to regain a three-score lead in the 67th minute.
鈥淚t feels good,鈥� Schoonover said of sealing the win. 鈥淚t feels like we鈥檝e worked hard to get it. I think we see each other well and play well with each other. We鈥檝e just been working on (finishing).鈥�
Sartell has had Bemidji鈥檚 number since the 2018 Section 8A title game. The Sabres came into Saturday鈥檚 contests with a five-game winning streak over the Jacks, finishing on the better end of three one-goal games and a penalty kick finish in the 2020 8A championship.
Not only did BHS snap its skid, it did it in style. The Lumberjacks scored four goals against Sartell for the first time in program history.
More importantly, Bemidji鈥檚 first win of the season will boost its Section 8-3A resume for playoff seeding.
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鈥淲e came into this game knowing there was a lot riding on it,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淵ou always wonder how the players will react to that. But they were mentally strong today. It鈥檚 a confidence booster, not just for the players but for the coaches as well. Today was something we can lean on knowing that we鈥檙e a very capable team.鈥�
Bemidji 4, Sartell 1
SAR 0 1 鈥� 1
BEM 1 3 鈥� 4
BEMIDJI 鈥� Schoonover 鈥�39; Vaughn, 鈥�43 ( M. Thompson); Corradi 鈥�45, 鈥�67 (McCrady).
SARTELL 鈥� Breitkreutz 鈥�59 (Darling).
SAVES 鈥� Bieber (BHS) 4; Darling (SAR) 7.
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