The Star Valley soccer teams hosted both high schools from Casper this past weekend. The Natrona County Fillies and Mustangs were on Braves Field on Friday with the Kelly Walsh squads facing off against the locals on Saturday morning.
Fillies: 5 Lady Braves: 0
The Lady Braves had one of their best defensive games of the season as they held the visiting Fillies to four goals but unfortunately also netted an own-goal to push the overall tally to five.
NC’s Raegan Barthel scored in the 9th minute to start the scoring which was added onto in the 19th by Harper Jay. The score grew to 3-0 on a Lily Evans score. At this point the Lady Braves suffered a lapse in focus as they shot the ball into their own net in the 28th minute for a 4-0 halftime score. The second half was clean in both goals with the exception of a score by the Fillies’ Gianna Vignieri who put the score at 5-0 in the 48th minute.
Overall, the Fillies finished with 21 shots on goal compared to three for the Lady Braves. Cara Andrews collected eight saves for Star Valley while Bella Beck finished with four.
Trojans: 10 Star Valley: 1
The second-ranked Trojans came into Afton on a brisk Saturday morning smarting from a 2-1 loss in Jackson the night before and dominated the match in a 10-1 final. Sydney Stephan scored four times including a first-half hat trick while Madison Maires scored twice herself. Bella Beck had nine saves between the pipes as she faced 28 shots on goal. The Lady Braves did break a scoring drought for the season with their first goal of the campaign taking place as time expired in the loss. Rhian Larson was credited with the score. Star Valley finished with four shots on goal, all of which came in the second half.
Mustangs: 2 Braves: 2
It was a cold, breezy and threatening bit of weather for the Braves and Mustangs on Friday night. Fortunately for the players, the precipitation held off and the two squads entertained the crowd with a very competitive match. The Mustangs controlled much of the first half as they put together eight shots on goal compared to three for the Braves. Two of those made it past the keeper as Kasen Sebus scored twice, assisted by Kevin Guzman and Cole Hiday in the 16th and 18th minute respectively. Will Collins, Trenton Nelson and the Star Valley defense was able to keep the slate clean for the remaining 62 minutes of the match. Trailing 0-2 and needing to cut the deficit in half, Jacob Choma was able to score in the 59th minute. Then in the 68th minute, Jacob Howe was able to get past the keeper for the equalizer. Both squads had their chances in the final moments but the score ended 2-2.
Trojans: 4 Star Valley: 0
This match was one where the final moments will sour the memory of what was nearly a defensive gem for the Braves who allowed just one goal in the first 74 minutes of the contest. After a scoreless first half, Kelly Walsh got on the board off a header from Weston Carlson, assisted by a corner kick from Beau Ferguson. The Braves’ defense was dialed in, defusing nearly all of the Kelly Walsh attacks. With a free kick awarded just outside the box that did not go Star Valley’s way late in the match, the Trojans countered and put in the second goal in the 75th minute. This appeared to open the floodgates for the visitors who added two more goals in the 76h and 79th minute to finish the match. Trenton Nelson and Will Collins were each credited with three saves in goal as they faced 20 shots on frame overall.
