Clear Creek Amana Remains Perfect With Win Over Previously Unbeaten Vinton-Shellsburg
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
TIFFIN – Developing continuity and cohesiveness has been a challenge for many soccer teams coming off a year without spring sports.
At Clear Creek Amana is has been team chemistry that has actually been the catalyst during a strong start for the Clippers.
Clear Creek Amana posted its fourth consecutive win over a previously unbeaten team to open the season on Friday with an impressive 4-1 win over Vinton-Shellsburg (3-1) at Clipper Field in Tiffin.
“Most of our seniors have been playing together for years now and even our freshmen they played soccer with us as we grew up,” Clear Creek Amana senior Lauren Riggle said. “We all came up from AYSO soccer and we kind of formed a family there and that’s helped us a lot.”
Four different Clippers scored goals on Friday as Clear Creek Amana moved to 4-0 on the season and in WAMAC play.
The win capped a three-win week for Clear Creek Amana which handed Marion, Benton Community and Vinton-Shellsburg their first losses of the season in a span of five days, all by a 4-1 margin.
“We knew we had a good bunch of girls but I was definitely nervous after we didn’t have a season last year,” Clear Creek Amana senior Ellen Austin said. “Seeing the first few games makes us very excited for the rest of the year because I think we’ve been connecting really well and playing really strong.”
Like every other team state-wide Clear Creek Amana had its share of questions after the 2020 season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Where the Clippers had an advantage of some teams was in a strong returning nucleus led by seniors like Austin, Riggle, Peyton Grafft, Avery Woodward and Eliza Evans who also saw significant playing time as underclassmen.
Now with two classes of players without varsity experience the previous playing time of that returning group is paying dividends during the Clippers’ unbeaten start.
“When they were ninth graders that was always the conversation with an eye toward their junior and senior year so we were really gutted not to get the season last year but it’s definitely paying off,” Clear Creek Amana coach Matt Harding said. “They know how to play in tight games.”
It was one of the inexperienced players that got the Clippers off to a strong start on Friday.
Sophomore Leah Evans started the scoring for Clear Creek Amana and senior sister Eliza Evans made it a 2-0 Clipper cushion with a goal in the 18th minute.
A strong start was critical against a Vinton-Shellsburg team that had outscored opponents 25-1 during a 3-0 start.
“They were averaging something like one shot every two minutes, 90 shots in 177 minutes of time,” Harding said. “It definitely caught the girls’ attention. Coming in we knew we had to start intense so to see the Evans family get those two girls early was huge and really increased the confidence of the other girls.”
The two senior leaders for the Clippers put the game out of reach after half.
Austin made it 3-0 when she blasted a shot off the keeper’s hands and into the net from 25 yards out in the 47th minute.
“Two years ago we wouldn’t start as strong but we’d always come back and that’s what we did most of the season,” Austin said. “It’s nice to come out strong and not have to worry about getting goals in the second half.”
Riggle made it 4-0 with her team-leading seventh goal of the season on a penalty kick with 19:06 left following a penalty in the box.
“Our first game I will admit it was a little rocky but after the Marion game we’ve picked it up big time, I’ve been so impressed,” Riggle said. “We knew this was a good team and we put it together.”
Vinton-Shellsburg got on the board with 9:25 left when Lucy Howes-Vonstein scored on a penalty kick after Clear Creek Amana was called for a hand ball in the box.
The Clippers return to action on Tuesday traveling to Center Point-Urbana (3-2).
“I’m so excited for the rest of the year, I think we can be very good,” Austin said. “Hopefully state bound.”
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.