For the third consecutive year, Sawtooth United Football Club youth soccer teams competed in the Puma Jackson Hole Fall Classic tournament over the weekend of Sept. 29-30 in the Wyoming city.
Wild weather and even wilder soccer dominated the two-day tournament, which featured action in 15 divisions from ages 9-10 up through six-on-six high school competition.
Nine Sawtooth teams competed in the third annual meet and compiled an 8-16-7 overall record to bring the Wood River Valley SUFC fall soccer record to 28-21-12 so far. And of course local teams enjoyed success.
The U-11 Avalanche girls won their championship with a 3-1-1 record including a 2-1 championship game over GCYSL Strikers Black. Game Most Valuable Player Samantha Sutton and Haley Cutler scored the SUFC goals in the title contest that avenged an earlier 1-0 loss to GCYSL.
Avalanche also defeated GCYSL Strikers White 1-0 on a game-winning goal by MVP Lucy Brannon. Other MVPs were Rory Cole and Tatum Morell. SUFC also blanked Sawtooth United U-11 Blizzard 4-0.
SUFC also captured second places in the U-12 Boys, U-13 Boys and U-14 Girls divisions. The U-13 boys had a great effort, falling to the Montana State Cup champion Avalanche squad 2-0 in the final.
Other SUFC games are scheduled for Oct. 13 and 20 with the season ending at Twin Falls Rendezvous Oct. 27. SUFC results submitted by coaches with Jackson Hole tournament records in parentheses:
U-14 Girls (1-1-2): Won 1-0 over Casper (Wyo.) Blades, lost 1-0 in the championship to Idaho Rush. Also tied Sparta 0-0 and Idaho Rush 1-1. Goals by Teagen Palmer and Erin Murphy. Players of the Match were Maggie Williams, Nicole Roos, Sloan Storey and Ali Appleton.
U-14 Boys (1-2-0): Won 2-0 over Sweetwater, goals by Cassidy Carson and Enrique Salazar. Lost 1-0 and 3-0 to Jackson Hole and Bozeman. Man of the Match Tim Kanellitsas.
U-13 Boys (2-1-0): Won 4-1 over Jackson Hole Premier and 6-0 over Casper, lost 2-1 in the title match to Montana Avalanche. Goals by Chase Josey (2), Cole Caminiti (2), Michael Weaver, Liam Jablonski, Ryan Buell, Ben Kanellitsas and KJ Savaria. POMs to Ketchum Wilt, Dylan Carey and Parker Weekes.
U-12 Girls Avalanche (0-1-2): Great all-around effort in a very tightly contested "Gold Bracket." Tied Boise Blast 2-2 and Rock Springs (Wyo.) 4-4. Lost 4-3 to Casper Blades. Goals by Hannah Dies, Haley Montgomery, Jordan Fitzgerald and Ellie Punnett. Outstanding defense by Whitney Engelmann, Ellie Punnett, Katie Feldman and captain Erin Hennessy.
U-12 Girls Blizzard (0-3-0): First club-level tournament. Major improvement overall. Strong defensive play by Emilia Bingham and Alexa Szombathy. Great all-around play by Addison Holmes and captain Courtney Lecrone.
U-12 Boys (1-1-1): Won 3-2 over GCYSL Black, tied 1-1 with Riverton (Wyo.) Rampage, lost 3-0 in the final game to GCYSL White. Goals by Gus Conrad (4), assists to Stephan Pfeiffer and Reed Roudabush. Men of the Matches for outstanding goalkeeping were Alberto Salinas and Roudabush.
U-11 Blizzard Girls (0-4-0): MVPs Rachel Malone, Cheyanne Stopol, Brigette Thomas and Claire Sauerbrey. Breakaway goal by Stopol.
U-11 Boys (0-2-1): Tied Jackson Hole Black 1-1, lost 4-1 to Les Bois and 1-0 to Jackson Hole Black. Goal by Jay Fitzgerald. POMs to Jack Swanson, Kyle Weller and Taylor Cooper.
Courtesy photo-
The SUFC U-11 Avalanche Girls pose proudly after winning the championship of the Puma Jackson Hole Classic tournament in Wyoming Sunday with a 2-1 victory over GCYSL Strikers Black.
