PORT ANGELES — Another member of the Port Angeles Roughriders girls’ defensive backfield has signed to play college soccer in the Northwest Conference.
Roughrider Bella Money has signed to play soccer for Lower Columbia College. Her teammate in the defensive backfield, Lucah Folden, signed to play for Edmonds College a few weeks ago.
“When I went there, they were very welcoming,” Money said. “I’m really looking forward to extending my soccer career for a couple of years.”
Lower Columbia College has an interesting pipeline to Port Angeles. Several Roughriders have gone to play sports there, mostly for softball and baseball as the Red Devils’ baseball coach is a former Roughrider, Eric Lane.
Former Riders who have played or are playing at LCC include Lauren Lung and Nizhoni Wheeler in softball and Joel Wood and Hayden Woods in baseball.
Money said she was aware of the pipeline and knows Wood.
“There’s a little history with Port Angeles and Lower Columbia,” she said.
Money also likes that LCC is close to home, only about a three-hour drive away.
Money also said LCC “is a better fit for me. I don’t think a four-year school is the best fit for me.”
LCC doesn’t play in the same region as Peninsula College, so unlike Folden, who will be returning to play at Wally Sigmar Field at least once or twice a year, there’s no guarantee that Money will be coming back to play in Port Angeles, though Peninsula does play a few preleague games with NWAC opponents outside the North Region every year.
Money played center-back for the Roughriders, helping a very stingy defense give up just 14 goals in 20 games in 2019 and helping the Riders win the Olympic League 2A Division.
Money said LCC is pretty loaded with defensive backs, but it turns out she has also played center midfield, so it’s possible she might be moved to the midfield at LCC.
Another local defender, Sequim’s Gabby Happe, will join Folden at Edmonds College.
