Two Valkyries earn soccer honors
The 2011 All-conference soccer lists were released this week for Northwest A, and two members of the Valkyries soccer team earned nods — seniors McKinze Shults and Sara Keenan.
Shults was a four-year starter for the Valkyries and a team captain this past season. Her skills earned her All-conference honors her sophomore year as well.
“Kinze was a solid shut-down defender who took on the added responsibility of being our center midfielder these last two seasons,” said Bigfork head girls soccer coach Charlie Appleby. “ I can’t say enough about her maturity on and off the field. She practiced like she played, and she helped make those around her better.”
Keenan started playing soccer for the Valkyries her sophomore year after Bigfork moved into Class B and therefore played golf in the spring rather than the fall. For the majority of the 2010 season and all of the 2011 season, Keenan played sweeper, the last line of defense before the keeper.
“It is a tough job, and despite a concussion and a broken nose, Sara stood tall all season, helping to shut down teams and keeping us in tough games,” Appleby said. “Sara’s awareness on the field and incredible quickness saved us on many occasions.”
All-conference and All-state honors are decided upon by the coaches in each conference through discussion and voting. There are 13 girls who were selected for All-conference honors and nine who were named All-state.
“We had a few other girls that were nominated and came close to getting honors as well, including Miranda Miller and Emily Stephens,” Appleby said. “They were our two offensive threats. Emily scored all of our goals. This was her first year getting to play after being hurt the past two seasons. So the fact that she was nominated her first year, even though she is a junior, is pretty cool. Miranda was a key player for us, and she earned All-conference last year as well.”
This year’s All-conference honors come with an added bonus — an all-star game featuring local talent. Keenan and Shults will join the other senior girls who earned All-conference honors in Northwest A, as well as those from Flathead High School and Glacier High School, in the Northwest Senior Showcase.
The game is slated for Nov. 4 at Memorial Park. The girls play at 4 p.m. and the boys start at 5:30 p.m. No Bigfork boys are scheduled to play in the all-star game this year. None of the Vikings players received All-conference honors this year.
Following the two games, the premier level Flathead Rapids soccer club will take on the Green Monarchs from Sandpoint, Idaho in the inaugural Valley Cup at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the games are $5 for adults, $10 for a family pass or free for kids 12 and under.
Visit online at www.flatheadrapids.com for more information.