Kickers blank NK in opener

POULSBO – It couldn’t have been a better start to the season for the Spartan varsity girls soccer team.

Forward Zena Hemmen scored two goals as the Spartans defeated their rivals, the North Kitsap Vikings 4-0 on Tuesday.

Forwards Allie Picha and Kelsey Devereaux also scored as Bainbridge goalkeepers Jackie Danzig and Callie Tift kept the Vikings off the scoreboard.

For coach Mark Grindrod, Adrienne and Lindsey Montoya were the stars of the game.

“Those Montoyas were awesome,” he said. “They had a connection. It’s the twin thing.”

It was evident in the first half, as defenders Lindsey and Lizzie Seligmann kept North Kitsap from getting anything going on Bainbridge’s end, clearing the ball out repeatedly before the Vikings could set up a play.

“She (Lindsey) just controlled that backfield,” Grindrod said. “She was in their face and clearing that ball. But not just clearing the ball, but knowing where she was putting it and targeting people. That was really the key to our defensive game.”

Hemmen was the key to their offensive game, scoring in the 12th and 24th minutes when she worked her way through the Viking defenders to the ball, faking goalie Laurel Patton out of position to score each time.

Picha scored with two minutes left in the first half on a breakaway goal.

In the second half, North Kitsap went on the attack early with five forwards, but the defense did its job, including Tift who made two nice saves off of corner kicks.

Devereaux scored the last goal on a pass from midfielder Molly Oshin in the 72nd minute.

The play of the midfield was one of the concerns Grindrod had coming into the season, but after Tuesday’s game, he said he feels better about how they will perform during these next few months.

He was also concerned with how his team was preparing for their opening contest.

“Even coming into last week, I don’t think they were ready for it,” he said. “What got us ready was our playing against the JV team last week when they scored. That woke them up and they said, ‘Hey, last year is behind us. We got a new season and we better start going and getting intense.’”

Junior varsity defeated North Kitsap, also by a score of 4-0.

Bainbridge hosts Sequim at 2 p.m. today, then plays Seattle Prep at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday.

— John Becerra, Jr.