Sports

Rookie striker wins it for Monarch Park

FRANCIS CRESCIA/TOWN CRIER
BRAKE TIME: Monarch Park’s Emily Pepper relents on her charge as Danforth netminder Sydney Massey grabs control of the ball. The Lions would beat the Redhawks 3-0 in Tier 2 soccer.

Monarch Park’s varsity girls soccer team is working together like any Lions pride should.

Coach Michael Mead is ecstatic with his squad’s second win on the season in the South Region’s Tier 2 division.

Coming off a 3-0 loss May 2 to region leaders Marc Garneau Cougars, the Lions battled through the wind to beat Danforth Redhawks 3-0, May 5.

“There was a lot of energy compared to last game,” he said. “These girls are just disciplined. It’s unbelievable how cohesive they are.”

One lioness honing her skills on the pitch is grade 9 Mikayla Bobb, who netted two goals in Monarch Park’s home win.

“I think we played really well, we passed really well and it was a great team effort,” she said.

Mead admitted his star striker almost didn’t initially make the cut at spring tryouts after a laissez-faire effort. Nonetheless his decision to keep Bobb on the squad has resulted in more goals.

“I was really happy that I made it because tryouts were out of everybody (in the school),” Bobb said.

She was also the winger who started Monarch Park off on the scoresheet against Danforth with a nice chip shot in the first five minutes of play.

Before the end of the first half, with Monarch Park’s trio of Bobb, Emily Pepper and Kathryn Delvin pressing, Danforth defender Shannon Stewart passed the ball back to her goalkeep, Becky Rodgers, only to have it trickle by.

A constant barrage plagued Rogers, but she stood up to the Lions’ prowess.

In the second, Danforth coach Rachel Cranswick moved Rogers to the field and placed Sydney Massey between the pipes.

For Cranswick, the biggest obstacle to overcome was a shortened bench. Only one sub was available to her. However, as the Redhawks went deeper into the game they allowed only one more goal — a redirect by Bobb off a Pepper pass.

Cranswick lauded her charges for using every last drop of gas in the tank. The Redhawks looked to maintain that vim and vigor against Riverdale May 9. Results were unknown as of press time.

“Our plans for the next game: I don’t want to say win, but to keep up our positioning and to work on our passing,” Cranswick said.

As for the Lions, they’ll be looking to qualify for the playoffs, a goal Mead is optimistic about achieving.

“If they come out like this, they can have a go with anybody,” he said.

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