The Kenai Central girls defeated Homer 3-0, while the Kardinals and Mariners boys played to a scoreless tie, Thursday in Peninsula Conference soccer at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School.

The Kenai girls are 1-0 in the league and 2-0 overall, while the Homer girls dropped their season opener. The Kardinals boys are 0-0-1 and 1-0-1, while the Mariners boys also opened their season Thursday.

The Kardinals have yet to be scored on this season, also defeating Soldotna 1-0 on Tuesday.

“It’s nice in one week to come out and have good possession, and have a lot of opportunities,” Kenai Central head coach Jeff Siemers said. “We had a couple of plays that we could have shored up on defense, but in the end, it didn’t kill us.”

Maddie Malone got another shutout in goal. Siemers said Seanna Swanson and Alexis Taylor were solid in the center of the defense, while Evelyn Cooper, Lily Langham and Savannah Hershberger played on the outside.

Siemers also moved Brynnen Hanson to center forward and put Katie Johnson on the outside, and it provided dividends.

Just three minutes into the game, Hanson ended a struggle for a bouncing ball in the box by kicking the ball over her shoulder and into the net.

Johnson scored from the corner of the penalty area in the 40th minute. Christine Goering finished the scoring in the 60th minute. Hanson hit Goering with a pass at midfield and Goering did the rest.

Siemers said it was nice to see all three finish their first goals of the season after knocking on the door constantly.

While Kenai is the defending Division II state champ and returns key contributors from that team, Homer returns four starters from last season.

“I didn’t know quite what to expect, but we’re young,” said Homer coach Mike Tozzo, who has 26 in his program. “At any given moment, I had up to five freshmen on the field.”

Tozzo said he had four seniors on the field. The rest were freshmen and sophomores.

Goalie Christi Weisser could not make the game due to illness, forcing sophomore Maya Diaz into action. Tozzo said Diaz has four weeks of experience in the net.

“She just did it, and she did it with a smile on her face,” he said. “She did everything we asked her to do. She’s just inexperienced.

“So that was fantastic.”

Tozzo said the team also isn’t very deep, so a couple of other injuries hurt.

“It’s a tough way to play, but I thought they played well,” he said. “I’m excited about the rest of the season, because I know we’re going to get better.”

The coach said sophomore Ruby Hill set a nice, physical presence in the midfield, while freshman Piper Fuchs also showed a lot of potential in the midfield.

Kenai boys 0, Homer 0

In a game played mostly in a drizzle, Kenai Central’s Bradley Morrison and Homer’s Walden Krazeski were able to keep clean sheets.

“I like the pressure that we had,” Kenai coach Shane Lopez said. “I like the way we played the game. We stuck to our game plan throughout and I’m proud of the guys for the work.

“Homer is a great team, so we like these competitive games. It makes us better.”

The game featured a clash in styles. Kenai likes to play more directly, chipping the ball over the top of the defense and letting the forwards run onto it.

Homer likes to build up the attack from the back, using short passes and seeking out open spaces in the midfield to launch an attack.

Mariners coach Tyler Jeffres is in his first year, but comes with plenty of quality club coaching experience in Anchorage and Colorado. Jeffres has lived in Homer for six years and trained some of the players on the team.

He said the program has 28 players, with seven seniors, three juniors and the rest freshmen and sophomores.

Jeffres said there were four seniors and a junior playing Thursday, with the rest freshmen and sophomores.

“They’re a very good soccer-playing team,” Jeffres said of his squad. “When we play to feet and build out of the back like we were doing, we open up the field for ourselves to go attack.”

While both teams were able to accomplish their game plans for stretches, that doesn’t matter without goals.

“I think the difference today would have just been quality finishing,” Jeffres said. “Probably a goal for us would have given us the game.

“Credit to Kenai, they also had some great opportunities.”

Lopez said his midfield, led by Enrique Mercado and Cole Langham, did a great job of chasing down Homer’s passing and not allowing time to build an attack.

“We had some good chances and opportunities,” Lopez said. “I thought our midfield won the day.”

The coach said Miles Metteer was dangerous on the wing, while center defenders Dakota Wisnewski and Ben Harris limited opportunities when Homer broke through the midfield.

With Kenai trying to play over the top, Jeffres said senior captain and center defender Rocco Flora had to win a lot of key balls in the air. Krazeski also came out of his box to blunt opportunities.

“And then our midfield was huge,” Jeffres said. “Once they settled the ball, we started playing.

“It was hard to keep up with us.”

Jeffres also liked the overlapping runs of his outside defenders, particularly Beau Miller.

Homer’s Ruby Hill and Kenai Central’s Tait Cooper battle for the ball Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer’s Kai Waltenbaugh shields the ball from Kenai Central’s Enrique Mercado on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Central’s Bradley Morrison lets the ball go out for a goal kick Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer’s Berend Pearson clears the ball off the line in front of Kenai Central’s Sawyer Vann on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer’s Berend Pearson clears the ball off the line in front of Kenai Central’s Sawyer Vann on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)