By Jessica George, Summer reporter
Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The Muskie soccer teams kicked their seasons into gear last weekend.
The girls’ squad opened action with a home exhibition tournament on Friday and Saturday so the players could accumulate some experience before the NorWOSSA season began.

The tournament not only was an opportunity for the girls who make up the roster to play soccer, but those who did not try out and those who did not make the team, also were given the opportunity to play.
After everyone who wanted to play had signed up, they were split into senior and junior teams. This was done to fill out the tournament as only a few out-of-town teams responded to the invitation.
There was few spectators on hand due to the biting winds but the players still remained in high spirits even though they were forced to seek refuge in fleece blankets and toques.
The girls regularly took runs and jumped around to keep their energies up.
The seniors opened action Friday with a 1-1 tie versus Dryden and a 1-0 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas (Kenora). Then they blanked Rainy River 4-0 on Saturday morning.
The juniors, meanwhile, beat Rainy River 2-0 on Friday before losing to Dryden 2-1 later in the day. Then they fell to St. Thomas Aquinas by that same 2-1 score on Saturday.
Despite the number of losses, Muskie coach Adam Craig stressed the tournament was just meant to be for fun.
“There are a lot of good teams out there,” he noted. “We do have a pretty good team. They are definitely young, but their performance has proven that they are capable.
“We have [Sara and Courtney Roach] out there and they are true rookies,” he added. “[But] they are very talented girls.”
He also said a number of very good veterans are returning this year to round out the team.
“We named Erin Kaemingh captain of the team this year and we are pretty excited about that,” Craig enthused.
There’s also the return of veteran forward Lauren Pierce, who Craig called a “great player,” and the return of Nicole Mueller and Annika McTavish from injury.
The Muskie boys’ soccer team, meanwhile, was in Winnipeg over the weekend for the annual St. John’s Ravenscourt Invitational tournament. They were pitted against some really accomplished teams and even though they fought hard, they failed to earn any victories.
They were blanked 4-0 in their first game, then fell 4-1 in their second one, with Jordan Davis netted the Muskies’ lone goal.
Their third and final game also was a loss, with captain Mike Sande scored their only goal.
Despite the losses, important lessons were learned. Head coach Shane Beckett assured the group really became a team, and that they showed some really great ball control and ball movement over the weekend.
Furthermore, because it was their first tournament, they were given the opportunity to see everyone’s progressing strengths, which boosted confidence in the overall performance of the team.
“We learned a lot and [we] are ready for Dryden and Kenora on Wednesday,” said Beckett. “If we play like we can, we expect great things from our team this season.”
Both the boys’ and girls’ teams were in Dryden today (May 7) for games against the host Eagles and Kenora Broncos.
Then they will entertain the Eagles and Broncos here next Wednesday (May 14).