Trinity Tri Hawks

In the end, #4 St. Paul Academy proved too much for the depleted Tri Hawks, and the season ended with a 3-0 loss to the Spartans in the Section 3A quarterfinals. Despite minimal minutes from injured captains Maria Kisch and Laura Mayer as well as starting right back Audrey Zuelke, Trinity played some of its finest team defense of the year in stifling a potent SPA attack. Very few good looks at goal were afforded, and the lone goal of the first half was an own one off an unlucky deflection.

Having absorbed SPA’s best punches and adjusted to the field and speed of play, the Tri Hawks moved out of their 4-2-3-1 and into a 3-5-2 and ultimately a 3-4-3 for the second half, and were able to both find possession in the middle third and mount several serious-looking attacks, but could not put the ball away. SPA picked up two goals off of counters, one to a streaking weak-side mid that the Tri Hawks couldn’t run down and one off an errant clearance that turned into a cross and finish.

Liz Olson, Bekah Bittner and Catherine Putzier drew the unenviable job of shutting down the Spartan’s top 3 offensive threats, and did. None of the three had a goal or an assist on the day. Samantha Robbins, Catherine Kiefer, Anne Marie Bittner, Clare Marie Patros and Audrey all played brilliantly in the back. Anna Frenz, Grace Borchardt, Laura Mayer and a few others worked tirelessly up top to pressure the SPA defense and create attack. And Sarah Reinhardt, Treva Bellomo, Bekah, Maria, Catherine, Liz and Monica Nicklaus were forced to cover endline to endline chasing down runs in their defensive zone and making finishing runs on the offensive end. Anna Mayer came up with a huge save in the first half and Maria Lotti came up with two more in the second half to keep their team in the game.

SPA won the game, but Trinity made them work hard to earn it. After the game, the seniors gathered together for a final, private moment together on the field before stepping off it for the last time and into the arms of their waiting teammates, the start of a new ritual. They may be leaving us behind now, but they will not be forgotten. Ohana.

The Tri Hawks ended New Life’s season.

This year’s team can appreciate the pleasure of beating New Life 2-0 on their own field, avenging the 0-2 home loss to the same team exactly two weeks ago. Tri Hawk alumni can appreciate ousting an arch rival whose physical play has put so many Trinity players on the bench (and in the hospital!), ending too many high school careers.

This game was no less physical, especially after the Tri Hawks drew first blood (metaphorically, literal would come in the second half) when Bekah fed an absolutely brilliant killer pass to Anna Frenz, who slotted it low far post. The Tri Hawks, sun and wind at their back, thoroughly dominated the first half and Anna would add an insurance goal in the final Big 5 when she and Liz kept digging in a penalty area scrum until they found the ball and pay dirt.

The second half was a frenzy, with New Life repeatedly threatening from point blank range. Only desperate defensive scrambling to block and deflect every shot kept the sheet clean. The Tri Hawks did threaten on the counter, and created some beautiful, if unfruitful, chances from crosses and quick passing.

Player of the Game Liz Olson was everywhere. She tackled fearlessly, attacked the New Life defense at speed, and passed brilliantly. And she did it all while fighting pneumonia. There was phlegm aplenty on the sideline, but nothing but courage on the field.

Simley is fast, certainly the fastest team the Tri Hawks faced all year. On their home turf the speed of players and speed of play proved to be Trinity’s undoing in a 4-1 regular season finale loss. Simley scored a pair of goals two minutes apart in the first half before Liz clawed one back with a brilliant header off a Catherine Putzier corner. The Tri Hawks came out hard in the second half, running three up top, and had several early chances. But it was Simley who would go up by two goals just four minutes into the half before adding a fourth goal with 11 minutes to play.

Grace captured her first Player of the Game award for her work up top. For the first time all season, she and Anna really seemed to be in sync and working as a tandem. They made runs for each other, made great decisions on when to pass and when to dribble, and generally made life difficult for the Simley defense.

The Trip Hawks scored off a set play. They scored on a breakaway. They scored off a cross and volley. They scored from distance. By halftime of their final conference game against Maranatha they led 4-1 after arguably their finest soccer of the year. They dominated play with fantastic shape, showing off the ball and making smart decisions on it. They played truly beautiful, good, unselfish, team soccer. A scoreless second half proved less one-sided, with neither team able to break through the other’s defense.

The 4-1 final allowed Trinity to leapfrog both Maranatha and Legacy to finish 2nd in the conference. This marks the 8th straight year the Tri Hawks “medaled” by finishing in the Top 3 of the MCAA, including 3 regular season championships. The next longest current streak is 2. Only New Life’s six Top 3 finishes even comes close to the Tri Hawks, everyone else has three or less.

Maria Kisch captured both Angry Bird and Player of the Game recognition. It seemed Maria was everywhere, certainly garnering more touches than any other player on the pitch. She was vocal, she found space, her passes were brilliant, she was the ringleader, she called the shots, she put on a show.

Beautiful soccer. Hosting conference foe Bethany was apparently the right prescription for an ailing Tri Hawk attack. Trinity scored 7 goals and put 25 shots on net. Just as impressive, 7 different players had three shots each. The Tri Hawks had more goals than Bethany had shots; now that is dominance! Some of the recent finishing work seems to be paying off, as the goals were quality finishes too. Sam had a brilliant first-timer off a long cross from Bekah; AnneMarie looked like Zlatan with a flexible redirection of a ball few would have been able to reach, Liz had a perfect low, far post finish just inside the post, and Bekah had a Sportscenter-worthy juggle/turn/side volley.

Audrey took home the Angry Bird, shutting down Bethany’s extremely fast and quick left wing all day long. Player of the Game honors were shared by Monica, who has developed into a solid center mid player who the team can count on in all phases of play; and Bekah, who scored two goals, assisted two goals, and thoroughly dominated Bethany and the game with her fast, physical, skilled play all over the field.