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Ramblers back on girls soccer circuit

Regular competitors at the senior girls basketball B.C. tournament, the Ramblers might soon be able to take a run at a soccer title.
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Maple Ridge Rambler Abisayo Ajibike tries to shake the close checking of a Thomas Haney defender during junior girls soccer action. The new Ramblers team continued a successful season with a 3-0 victory in the Tuesday game.

Regular competitors at the senior girls basketball B.C. tournament, the Ramblers might soon be able to take a run at a soccer title.

Assembling many talented club soccer players under the Ramblers name has coach Dean Murphy confident that his squad at Maple Ridge Secondary will be contenders.

The school hasn’t had a girls junior soccer team in about five years, but Murphy, his daughter Elizabeth and other enthusiastic players and parents involved in local soccer knew there was great potential. They asked the school to let Murphy coach the squad under the school banner, and initial results have been impressive.

“We’re very competitive – which is why we put the team together in the first place,” he said.

Tuesday afternoon they shut out Thomas Haney 3-0 for their third win of the season in four outings. Their one loss came against Archbishop Carney, by a single goal, when their roster was decimated.

Courtney De Adder was a standout against Haney, as she set up two of the goals. Mackenzie Kelly has also been a dangerous scorer so far this season.

Through four games they have given up only three goals, with a defence anchored by Elizabeth and Rae Samuelson.

Coach Murphy said school soccer is a new experience for the club players, and it is unique in that there is a wider range of abilities. All of the girls can play, whether they are on silver, gold or metro teams with their club teams in the West Coast Auto Group FC, and he is observing that some girls who aren’t picked for the top-level club teams are outstanding contributors in terms of their overall team play.

In this first year back, there were 30 girls try out. As much as Murphy didn’t want to cut anybody, he had to, but did keep a swollen roster of 21 players.

“They’re keen to play hard, and it’s a lot of fun,” he said. “They almost don’t need a coach, they play together so well.”

Murphy has coached with the club for about five years, and is certified to coach both softball and soccer. He appreciates his on-field leaders.

“They really do push each other, and the girls who excel lead the others.”

They may have picked up a lot of their skill while playing for WCAGFC, but Murphy sees them all galvanizing into a Ramblers team, and they show a lot of school spirit.

“I noticed they all went out and got Rambler track suits,” he said. “They’re having a great time.”

The ultimate prize in junior soccer, and their goal, is a Fraser Valley championship, which will be contested in the middle of May.



Neil Corbett

About the Author: Neil Corbett

I have been a journalist for more than 30 years, the past decade with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
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