Crimson Bears girls unlucky in 2-1 state soccer loss to Warriors

Klas Stolpe
8 hours ago
3 min read

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé falls at Wasilla’s home pitch to open championships

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Peyton Wheeler strikes a scoring free kick against Wasilla during the Crimson Bears' 2-1 loss to the Warriors in the opening round of the ASAA Girls Soccer State Championships at Wasilla on Thursday, May 28, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

By Klas Stolpe

Juneau Independent

The 2026 Alaska School Activities Association Girls Soccer State Championships opened wonderfully for the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears.

The third-seeded JDHS defense forced sixth-seed Wasilla to shoot wide under pressure from senior Kenzie Simonson and a Warriors corner kick was handled easily by Crimson Bears senior keeper Tearamae Alexander.

The good play blossomed into a free kick from 15 yards out that JDHS senior Peyton Wheeler bent around defenders and past the Warriors' keeper for a 1-0 lead and Wheeler’s 70th career goal.

The half would show a lot of Wasilla attacks that were expertly marked by JDHS.

JDHS junior Riley Schultz headed a corner kick out and sophomore Nellie Stowers stopped two runs with midfield help.

A referee’s yellow card decision lead to a free kick by Wasilla which was defended wide.

The play resulted in three consecutive Wasilla corner kicks as JDHS kept the box clean, but it led to another referee’s decision that turned the tide.

Two players meeting for a ball started a tangling of feet, earning a penalty for Warriors sophomore Almaz Johnson. Wasilla junior Lainey Kroon took the penalty kick and scored to tie the match 1-1 just before the half.

“I thought the game would go our way when Peyton put that free kick in,” JDHS coach Matt Dusenberry said. “Unfortunate to pick up a PK when feet tangled to go 1-1 before the half.

JDHS seemed to overcome that goal and for the first 15 minutes of the second half the Crimson Bears pressed forward on offense.

JDHS freshman Maddie Dale put a shot into Wasilla sophomore keeper Larkynn Miner, a JDHS corner was headed out by a Warriors defender and Wheeler blasted another shot that Wasilla’s Miner handled.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé freshman forward Hailey Romero (2) works for a ball against Wasilla junior Jordan Sande (17) during the Crimson Bears' 2-1 loss to the Warriors in the opening round of the ASAA Girls Soccer State Championships at Wasilla on Thursday, May 28, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

JDHS had expert play throughout the middle and back defense that included Simonson, Schultz, Stowers, sophomore Zoe Tagsip and Marigold Lindoff and junior Katherine Bovitz, among others.

JDHS earned three straight free kicks, but the last caught the Crimson Bears one-sided.

Wasilla caught a quick break as senior Danielle Steiner played a fast ball in transition to Kroon who put it in for the 2-1 lead with 17 minutes to play.

“Wasilla kept us out of rhythm today,” Dusenberry said. “I thought Jordan Sande (Wasilla junior midfielder) played the disrupter role very well for them today.”

Wasilla sophomore keeper Larkynn Miner had nine saves in the game. Wasilla junior Jordan Sande and sophomore Molly O’Neill earned Good Sport Awards and Kroon was selected Player of the Game.

Wasilla’s Steiner, seniors Delany Tatum and Gracie Weisz, Sande and Mickenzy Lofland and sophomore Chloe Fletcher played 80 minutes each. Kroon played 70, senior Makenna Hanson 65, O’Neill 55, sophomore Allie Johnson 30 and sophomore Leia Michael 25.

JDHS’ Alexander had seven saves in the match. JDHS’ Stowers and senior Kenzie Simonson earned Good Sport honors and sophomore Ayla Erickson was Player of the Game. JDHS’ Hard Hat Award went to freshman Hailey Romero.

“I moved her around a bit in her first state game and she just played hard no matter where I asked her to,” Dusenberry said. “Our kids battled all game, which makes it a tough game to lose but we plan on coming back out tomorrow and showing what we are made of against Service.”

Wheeler, Simonson, Schultz, Erickson, Bovitz, Tagsip, Lindoff and Dale played 80 minutes. Romero 73, Stowers 68, junior Clairee Overson 21 and senior Piper Blackgoat Diehl 12.

JDHS will play seventh-seeded Service at 11 a.m. in an elimination game. Service lost to second seed Chugiak 5-2. Chugiak advances to face Wasilla in a semifinal.

In the other half of the bracket top seed South Anchorage defeated eighth seed West Valley 4-0 and fifth seed Dimond defeated fourth seed Colony 3-1.

South and Dimond play a 3 p.m. Friday semifinal and West Valley and Colony play an elimination game.