Posing in Twin Falls Sunday are the champion Wood River Soccer Club U-16 girls. On the ground, goalkeeper Cheyenne Swanson. First row, from left, Morgan Brimstein, Freya Dickey, Megan Morrell, Jessica Martens, Halsey Pierce, Hannah Lynch, Taylor Hayes and Chelsea Cloud. Second row, from left, coach Luis Monjaras, Emma Wilander, Kelly Hennessy, Sloan Storey, Emma Johnson, Tanner Dredge, Lucy Paisley, Madelyn Bates, Hunter Thompson and coach Mark Gasenica. Not pictured, Ali Appleton. Courtesy photo by Paul Bates
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After a slow start and first-round loss, the Wood River Soccer Club U-16 girls didn't allow a goal in their next three games and won the U-16 bracket of the Canyon Rim Classic tournament played at Sunway Soccer Complex in Twin Falls April 25-26.
The first game 3-0 loss against the Salt Lake City Firebirds apparently made the Wood River Valley-based girls want to prove themselves. They did so with two consecutive victories, over the Idaho Falls Extreme-Clarkston 7-0 and Vallivue Youth 3-0 to make the finals.
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The very windy weekend ended with a shootout victory in the finals for the WRSC U-16 Girls against the Idaho Falls Extreme-White, who had beaten the Firebirds 1-0 in a Sunday morning semi-final contest.
Going down two goals in the first two rounds of the shootout, the local girls (made up of players from both The Community School and Wood River High School) came up with three straight goals while goalie Cheyenne Swanson came up with two great saves to secure the victory.
Megan Morrell, Tanner Dredge and Maddie Bates scored the shootout goals after the championship game ended 0-0 after regulation.
Swanson also won the Battle of the Goalies Saturday night, defeating a group of U-16 goalies in head-to-head battles.
All the players contributed to a great team effort during the weekend of play and the team is looking forward to their next tournament, the Idaho Falls Shootout in May, according to coaches Luis Monjaras and Mark Gasenica.
In other divisions at the Twin Falls tournament, the Wood River U-10 boys tied Little Wood FC 2-2 in the consolation game; and Sawtooth United tied Firebirds Red 2-2 in the U-13 boys' consolation.