PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College women’s soccer coach Kanyon Anderson said he hopes the Pirates will conclude the 2013 season as they ended 2012: Hoisting an NWAACC championship trophy.
Defending its title seems like a difficult prospect, considering Peninsula graduated 11 players from last year’s team.
But a strong group of returning sophomores, including NWAACC Player of the Year Bri Afoa, combined with a talented recruiting class, has Anderson talking repeat.
“It is hard to imagine that we could have a much better season than we just had, but when I look at the players coming in for 2013, I can’t help thinking it is possible,” Anderson said.
“The general trend that I see with the incoming class is a high level of technical skill and tactical awareness.
“Every single player coming in plays for an organized, top-level club team, which means these players are as ready for the college game as they can hope to be.
“And, since we have such a strong returning class, I was not in a hurry to sign players. The ones I did sign are players I think will be great at Peninsula.”
The recruiting class consists of 13 players: Three from Washington state, four from Nevada, three from Oregon and a pair of sisters, Brittney and Brooke Yoshimura of Mililani, Hawaii.
The class also includes sophomore transfer Bronte Fitzsimmons of Victoria.
Here is a look at that outstanding recruiting class:
■ Lindsey Atkinson (midfield/forward, Beaverton, Ore.)
Scored 14 goals with eight assists as a sophomore at Southridge High in Beaverton, but then did not play high school soccer her junior and senior years, instead becoming a prolific scorer, assist leader and four-year team captain for BSC Portland, a club team.
She also played for the Olympic Development Program team in Oregon in 2009, and was a four-year letter winner in golf.
“Lindsey comes from BSC Portland, a club focused on open, attacking soccer,” Anderson said.
“Lindsey is a key to her club’s success and will have a smooth transition to playing at Peninsula.
“She has the strength to win the ball back in the midfield or to challenge opposing center backs. She has the skill to break down defenses with her dribbling and passing and she has a fantastic shot with both feet.
“On top of all of this, she has a nose for the goal. Lindsey had a great tryout for us this spring and will only get better.”
■ Kayla Bell (midfielder, Portland)
Bell, a midfielder at Cleveland High School in Portland was named first team All-Portland and 5A All-State honorable mention. Bell also plays midfield for the Westside Timbers FC.
“Kayla is a tenacious, focused central midfielder,” Anderson said.
“She is willing to do the hard work to win the ball back in the midfield, and she has the ability to distribute well, too.
“Kayla strikes me as the kind of player who sees what needs to be done and simply does it. That kind of a player solves problems, and wins games for their team.
“She is quick, strong and intelligent, and she has great enthusiasm. She will bring a good energy and great talent to our team both on and off the field.”
■ Alyssa Bertuleit (forward/defender, Sparks, Nev.)
While playing soccer at Sparks, Bertuleit earned a 4.0 grade-point average in 2009 and 2010, and won her high school’s Academic Achievement Award in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
She also was the 2012 Midfielder of the Year, team MVP and team captain. She also won a First Team All-League Midfielder award.
“Simply put, Alyssa is going to score goals for us next year,” Anderson said.
“She has fantastic speed and skill, she is creative and she strikes the ball cleanly. She was named Midfielder of the Year for a reason.
“What I like about Alyssa’s game is that she is not locked into one way of attacking. She will use pure speed on one attack, combine through the midfield on the next and then cut in across the top of the box on the next possession.
“Often, young players find one route to success and stick with it no matter what roadblocks the defense is putting up. Alyssa is able to read the situation and react accordingly. The results will speak for themselves.”
■ Shania Butler (midfielder, Henderson, Nev.)
Butler, also an honor roll student and a Nevada state 200-meter track finalist, led her Foothill High School soccer team in assists and was team MVP in 2010.
She then focused only on club soccer and was twice named tournament MVP in 2012.
“Shania has top level speed, and good control with the ball,” Anderson said. “She will be able to run out of the midfield for us and create majority situations for us in the attack.
“Speed like Shania’s is rare and can cause big problems for a defense. I will encourage her to be a relentless attacking player.
“It is no surprise that Shania had a scholarship offer from a strong Division II school and earned the praise of a Division I coach, who will be closely watching her progress at Peninsula.
“I am sure he, and Peninsula soccer fans, will not be disappointed.”
■ Laura Barrett (midfielder, Sparks, Nev.)
Barrett was a four-year varsity soccer player at Edward C. Reed High School in Sparks. She was named second team All-High Desert League forward.
“Laura is a player that can be very difficult to stop,” Anderson said. “She is a deadly combination of speed and strength, and when she decides to go to goal, there are not a lot of defenders who have the tools to stand in her way.
“Laura is currently playing for the Nomads FC, one of the top clubs in Nevada. I think her time with the Nomads is going to prepare her well for the demands of the college game.
“She already has the physical tools to succeed at this level.”
■ Ashley Davis (midfield/forward, Spokane)
Davis was a four-year varsity starter at Gonzaga Prep and the leading scorer for the Edge Soccer Academy in Spokane in 2012.
“Ashley is a powerful, speedy striker who can shoot from distance,” Anderson said.
“She has been recruited at the Division II level and has been described by her coach as ‘one of the top 10 most likable players’ he has coached.
“Ashley has the potential to be one of the more dangerous strikers in the league, and I am excited to get her into the Peninsula College soccer environment where she will thrive.
“In addition, her enthusiasm is going to make her a well liked and valuable teammate.”
■ Bronte Fitzsimmons (striker, Victoria)
Fitzsimmons, who came to Peninsula as a redshirt sophomore this year, was the 2010 Golden Boot winner at the University of Vancouver Island.
She was named to the BCCAA first team, she was the BCCAA Rookie of the Year and was also named All-Canada in 2010.
She was second in the league in scoring her freshman year with nine goals in 11 games.
“Bronte comes to us as one of the top recruited players in Victoria,” Anderson said.
“She is incredibly quick and fast. Once she beats a player off the dribble, she is gone in a cloud of dust.
“I think it is reasonable to expect Bronte to be at the top of the scoring charts this season.
“Despite all of her skill and attacking prowess, what makes Bronte so valuable is that she is a great teammate. She encourages others and takes the time to make the players around her better.
“Many talented players forget to nurture their teammates, but Bronte does not forget.”
■ Emily Flinn (goalkeeper, Forest Grove, Ore.)
Flinn is another talented multi-sport athlete, who was named First Team Mid-Fielder at Forest Grove High School.
As a goalkeeper, she led her FC Portland club team to back-to-back Oregon state championships. She was named second team all-league in basketball and team MVP.
She also earned second team all-league honors in lacrosse as a junior before focusing on soccer and basketball.
“Emily is a gifted multi-sport athlete,” Anderson said. “Despite all her ability in other sports and as a soccer midfielder, goalkeeper may be her best position.
“Emily was incredible in the three times I saw her play this winter. She is brave, skilled and technical, and she has a very calm demeanor, which is important when things get hectic.
“Emily will also be playing basketball at Peninsula College this winter, making her just the third player to play both soccer and basketball at Peninsula.”
■ Kasie Lough (goalkeeper/forward, Roy)
Lough is a tremendous multi-sport athlete. She was a three-year starter at Roy High School where she was named second team All-South Puget Sound League striker her senior year when she served as team captain, led her team in goals and was named team MVP.
“She was also a three-year varsity player and the team captain of her basketball team, and a state qualifier in shot put as a track and field standout.
“Kasie is, first and foremost, an athlete,” Anderson said. “That was clear immediately when I saw her play.
“She is tall, strong, coordinated and quick. These qualities already make her a successful goalkeeper, and combined with her strong work ethic, she has the potential to be exceptional.
“Just this spring, Kasie led her club team to a second-place finish at state. Two of the opposing coaches called to tell me what a talented goalkeeper she is.”
■ Larkyn Nelson (midfielder, Bellingham)
Nelson is an honor-roll student who was a four-year varsity starter and a three-time First Team All-League winner, who led the Red Raiders with 17 goals and eight assists her senior season, earning the Player of the Year Award.
“Larkyn is a tenacious dribbler with a wicked shot,” Anderson said.
“Nearly every shot she hits knuckles and drops, which allows her to score goals from farther out than most players.
“Her quickness and dribbling skill allow her to go past defenders as well. Larkyn is a dual threat to defenses and will be difficult to contain when she receives the ball with space to work.
“She is humble and willing to work to improve. I look for her to rack up goals and assists as a freshman.”
■ Mary Pierce (striker, Beaverton, Ore.)
Pierce was a four-year starter at Aloha High School, and has had significant success playing club ball as well. She currently plays for BSC Joga Bonita FC, and helped that team qualify for the Far West regionals. She also played for Oregon’s ODP team in 2009-2010.
“Mary is a technical player and a strong target striker,” Anderson said.
“She is excellent at keeping the ball in tight situations, which allows time for other players to get into the attack.
“Mary can fight through tackles, she is good in the air and most importantly, she scores goals. According to her club coach, she has the potential to be a prolific goal scorer.
“I hope that by surrounding her with talented teammates, she will have many opportunities to demonstrate that scoring knack.”
■ Katelyn Raatz (midfielder/defender, Sparks, Nev.)
Raatz played four years of varsity soccer at Sparks High where she served as team captain her junior and senior years.
She also was part of the Nevada Elite team that won the USCS West Region championship and qualified for nationals.
“Katelyn has impressed me with her quickness and skill every time I have watched her play,” Anderson said.
“She can go from a jog to a sprint about as effortlessly as I have seen. That change of pace can be very difficult to defend.
“It allows Katelyn to receive the ball without hurry and then quickly get to top speed to beat defenders.
“On top of that, Katelyn can use her quickness to be a lock-down defender. Through her high school and club career, she has played both positions with a high level of success, and I expect that will be the case at Peninsula as well.”
■ Brenda Torres (midfielder, Carson City, Nev.)
Torres was the team captain for the Nevada Elite Futbol Club that won the Northern Nevada Region championship in 2011 and then went on to be USCS West Region champions and place third in the nation in 2012.
She lettered three times at Carson High School where she was team captain and recipient of the “Best Forward of the Year” award.
“Brenda is a player who understands the game and makes the players around her better, which might be why she is often named captain of her teams,” Anderson said.
“She is skilled enough to do many things on her own, but she tends to make the simple, intelligent decision. She is strong, skilled and can strike the ball with power.
“Brenda will make us a more mature, focused team.”
■ Brittney Yoshimura (midfield, Mililani, Hawaii)
Brittney Yoshimura made the top travel roster for the Hawaii Rush Soccer Club, and was a big part of her Mililani High School team’s success, helping it to a third-place finish in the Hawaii state soccer championships.
“Brittney’s skill, pace and vision make her a great addition to our team,” Anderson said.
“Her ability to control the ball, to complete intelligent and skillful passes, and to dribble with pace and precision set her apart from many players her age.
“She will give us the composure we need in the middle of the field, and she will be able to move out to the wing to play a more direct, attacking role.
“Brittney will be a player who will help us possess for long stretches, and then have the extra class to finish opportunities in front of the net.”
■ Brooke Yoshimura (defender/midfield, Mililani, Hawaii)
Brooke Yoshimura, sister of Brittney, also made the top travel roster for the Hawaii Rush Soccer Club, and also helped the Trojans to their top-three finish at state. Brooke was named second team All-State.
“According to the coaches I spoke with, Brooke was considered one of the strongest outside defenders in the state this year,” Anderson said.
“She is quick, tough and blessed with good instinct. What I like about Brooke’s game is that once she wins the ball, she is able to advance forward on the dribble.
“We had two outstanding outside defenders last year in Ashlynn Frizzelle, who is bound for St. Mary’s, and Aubrey Briscoe, who is going to Montana State in Billings, who allowed us to attack out of the back.
“Brooke could be the next in the line of great attacking defenders at Peninsula College. In addition, she can play in the midfield whenever needed.”