Sandpoint players shine at Crossfire Challenge

SANDPOINT — Four Sandpoint girls helped lead their North West Premiere team to the Silver Bracket championship at the Nike Crossfire Challenge this summer in Redmond, Wash.

Emma Weme, Corrine Ariss, Meghan Parsley and Katie Flood joined coach Bryan Haney, formerly a University of California Irvine soccer coach, and his team made up of Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Moscow area players. Weme operated as the midfield and forward catalyst as usual, supplying three goals and three assists. Ariss joined in the fray with two goals and three assists, as the team held an 11-4 edge in goals.

Ariss’s stellar work on defense made her teammates much more comfortable with the high level of play. Weme and Ariss assisted each other twice with give and go’s. Parsley played some rock solid defense as well as making the competition nervous with some fast runs up top. Flood also contributed with some runs and shots on goal particularly in the championship game.  

The championship game ended regulation time tied 0-0 and was broken lose in the second overtime with a goal from Ashley Engberg of Moscow. After not winning a game their first year, winning a couple the second and three the third, the girls were thrilled to win the Silver division championship. This bodes well for a year in which Sandpoint is more determined than ever to not only go to state but to win it.

There were various college coaches in attendance, including head coach Mark Plakours from the University of Montana.