Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
When you’ve watched your nemesis capture the biggest prize in each of the last three seasons, it’s fair to wonder what kind of patience remains.
On a far-from-summerlike Saturday at West High Alumni Stadium, the South High girls soccer team kept focus into the frantic final seconds of regulation and into overtime. All of which allowed the Wolverines to claim a come-from-behind triumph for the ages.
Freshman Addysen Gasser tied the score with fewer than 30 regulation seconds remaining, and senior co-captain Madison McDonald added the only OT goal in the 88th minute. South sashayed its way to a 2-1 victory Dimond for the program’s seventh Division I state championship and first since 2018.
The Wolverines finished 13-1-2.
“We kept our cool,” said South junior midfielder Morgan Galko. “Dimond got the first one, but I had a feeling. We kind of waited them out. Our first goal really gave us a fire.”
It certainly did. Gasser positioned herself near the center-left of the Dimond net and converted a bobbled centering pass for her first varsity goal in eight matches. Regulation ended seconds later.
Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
“You know everything is on the line, and we’ve all been working so hard all year,” Gasser said. “I could kind of see the ball was going to come my way, and I needed to be there.”
Saturday marked the seventh time South and Dimond have battled in the final DI match of the season, and the 23rd officially sanctioned Alaska School Activities Association tournament. The southside Anchorage rivals have combined to win 15 of the championships – 65.2%.
Dimond looked every bit the three-time defending champion during much of regulation. The Lynx outshot and out-chanced the Wolverines by an almost 2-to-1 count. An NCCA DI commit to Hawaii, senior Tatum Porter scored her team-high 24th goal in the 23rd minute.
Winners of eight straight – the lone loss being a 2-1 setback to South on April 25 – Dimond appeared locked in to throwing up another championship banner in its gym. The Lynx (13-2-0) kept the ball deep in the Wolverines end and almost used up remaining game time wisely.
Almost.
Once Gasser surprised everyone on site late into the things, South came alive while Dimond withered. The Wolverines out-chanced the Lynx 10-4 in the two 10-minute, non-sudden victory sessions.
Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
McDonald cut loose down the right wing late in the first 10-minute session. As Lynx defenders converged from about 10 yards out, McDonald drilled a brilliant, cross-net shot high above Dimond goalkeeper Brooklyn Stock into the high-left corner.
“Maddie knew she had a big opportunity,” Galko said. “She had a chance to put us up, to maybe seal it. We were all kind of walking up (behind the play) because we knew she was going to make it.”
The goal was McDonald’s ninth. South sophomore goalie Skylar Lind totaled 18 saves.
South only rostered two seniors – McDonald and fullback Grainne Rogacki. On Dimond’s end, six seniors (Porter, Stock, Lauren Sulte, Marley Hamlett, Kaylani Ugalino and Marielle Corotan) won 44 of 48 varsity matches, won two DI titles and added a runner-up finish. This year’s seniors didn’t play a freshman season because of the pandemic.
Winning nearly 92% of their matches is going to leave a lasting impression on Dimond’s younger players.
“I played with most of these girls most of my life, since I was 6 years old,” said Dimond sophomore Kate Seibert. “To play with these seniors up until their final appearance at state was just a real honor. They taught me to really grind it through every single practice and game. They’ve been such hard workers. I’m striving to be like them by the time I’m a senior.”
Gasser was one of seven freshmen on South’s state roster. Now that the first season of living inside the South-Dimond rivalry is over, she’s amped to see what’s next.
“This is such a huge opportunity,” Gasser said. “I worked my butt off in tryouts just to make the team and start as a freshman. Now it’s time to carry it on.
“To keep on winning.”
Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
Alaska School Activities Association/First National Bank Alaska
2023 Division I State Soccer Championships
All-Tournament Team
Girls
Hannah Aemisegger, Lathrop
Tatum Porter, Dimond
Brianna Bailey, South
Hannah Willis, West Valley
Violet Schachle, Wasilla
Leeani Sandoval, West
Mai Mateaki, Dimond
Zoe Wittier, Service
Madison McDonald, South
Kaylani Ugalino, Dimond
Kara Michaels, West Valley
Skylar Lind, South