As the ball rolled toward the left side of the field, senior Haleigh Fancher knew the cross was perfect. Fancher sped by the defenders and launched the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal, sneaking it past the goalie and scoring the first goal of the night.
“I knew I could beat them with my speed,” Fancher said. “Laurie [Frew] played an excellent ball; it was a cross over the defensive line. I had a good first touch and was able to place it well.”
Fancher scored one of the goals for the RBHS Girls Soccer team during their annual Anna Alioto Memorial Classic against HHS. Played on April 16, the Bruins won the game 2-0, overwhelming the Kewpie defense. Their coach Gary Drewing said that the team played very well and that the game will be a huge confidence booster for future games.
“We came out with a unified team effort and took another step forward to being a complete team,” Drewing said. “Our defenders were much more organized and played very well, although we need to work on our confidence. When we are calm and composed we are very good.”
Although she watched from the sidelines during the game, senior Rebecca Adams said she thinks the team needs to play with high intensity through the entire game. Adams said that the team has really developed together and have taken steps to play to each others’ strengths.
“It was the first time we really put everything together and played as a team,” Adams said. “It was a huge step forward for us that showed our first time really working hard together on the field, and it should push us to get even better for the rest of the season.”
Not only did the team defeat their crosstown rival, but RBHS was also able to take home the Anna Alioto Memorial trophy. Alioto was a former RBHS soccer player who played for Northern Michigan University before drowning while swimming alone after a workout with her team. Her death was concluded as accidental, and may have been due to Alioto’s epilepsy. However, she has not been forgotten by her former teammates, including Fancher, who was proud that RBHS was able to win the memorial game.
“[Alioto] was such a bright spirited person and I know she has a big smile on her face,” Fancher said. “She was a great player and teammate and always worked her butt off no matter what. It means so much that we are able to play for her and bring home the win for her.”
By Derek Wang
