Crossfire unable to win a game

at nationals, finish tied for third

By Rhett Workman

Contributing Writer

It was a tough week last week for Mount Si High school girls’ soccer star Nikki Stanton and the rest of her Crossfire Premier 90 Lombard teammates. They played in the US Youth Soccer National Championship tournament for girls’ Under-15 club soccer in Des Moines, Iowa, but failed to make the title game.

Crossfire opened the pool play round Wednesday, July 26 and played a tight game against the PDA Pride of New Jersey. Both teams had their chances, including one by Stanton which missed off the crossbar in the second half, but neither team was able to get it done. The game ended in a 0-0 draw in hot and humid conditions. The two teams ended the day in a tie for second place in the standings, as a result of the well-played tie.

Crossfire continued play last Thursday, July 27, against the Eclipse Select of Illinois squad. Once again, it was a close one. Unfortunately for Crossfire, though, their dreams of a national title took a significant blow at the hands of one Eclipse player.

Haley Krentz scored twice for the girls from suburban Chicago. She started things off with a goal for Eclipse in the 15th minute. After Crossfire’s Lucretia Lee tied the game at 1-1 in the 74th minute, Krentz came right back and scored again in the 75th minute to put Eclipse in the lead to stay. The Illinois team won 2-1, and with the win they earned a shot to play for the national title. For Crossfire, despite their first loss in several months, they were still alive for the title after the second day. The game was marred by an hour-long lightning delay as storms moved through the Des Moines area.

Going into Friday’s, July 28 final pool game, this against the Dallas Texans 91 Red from McKinney, Texas, Crossfire needed to win, and hope Eclipse could run the table with three wins in pool play by beating PDA.

It did not go as hoped. Crossfire was eliminated from further competition. Crossfire tied their Texas opponents, 2-2, and PDA shocked Eclipse with a 1-0 victory. PDA only scored twice in their three games, yet made the title game (also against Eclipse) with their victory over the Chicago-area team.

Crossfire opened the scoring, with a goal in the second minute from Caroline Whiting. In the second half, the Texans stormed back. Alina Garciamendez tied the game for the Dallas-area girls in the 53rd minute, then Courtney Heimlich scored just two minutes later in the 55th minute to give the Texans the lead. Lee salvaged the tie with a goal for Crossfire in the last minute of play.

Crossfire finished tied for third overall with the Texans; both teams went 0-1-2 in pool play, with each team scoring three goals and giving up four.

Reached by e-mail by the Valley Record for a comment about what this experience may mean for Stanton, who will be a sophomore this fall with the Wildcats, Mount Si coach Darren Brown said it will mean a lot. “Nikki has played with and against some of the top players in the nation,” he said.

Her experiences competing for a national title will benefit her development in many ways. The game requires as much mental preparation as it does physical and I believe that Nikki’s poise and direction will be evident on the pitch this up and coming season,” Brown said.