Douglas High girls soccer
Douglas High goalkeeper Madelyn VonAhsen clears a goal kick Saturday against Galena in the Class 5A Northern Nevada Regional Final
Photo by Ron Harpin.
RENO – The Douglas and Galena girls’ soccer teams have become uniquely familiar with each other.
Each of the last three regional championships have been played between the two programs, but it was Galena who took the Class 5A title Saturday, 5-0, for the third straight year.
The Tigers scrapped and clawed to keep pace with the powerhouse that was the Grizzlies this season, but Galena ended the shortened season with a perfect 11-0 record.
Isabella Flocchini, who will be playing Div. I soccer next season, deposited four goals in the regional championship game, breaking the Nevada all-time state scoring record for goals in a career with 118.
Flocchini entered the contest with 114 career goals, one behind Alexis Kirson of Green Valley (115), and tallied her first in the 16th minute.
In the 31st minute, Flocchini broke to space and buried her 116th career goal to set a new all-time record.
Galena head coach Annie Di Loreto let out a yell and a fist pump following Flocchini’s record breaker.
2015 Douglas High graduate McKenna Kynett is now third on the all-time list with 101 career goals.
Douglas seniors bow out following remarkable career
All four of the Douglas seniors played at least two years of varsity soccer and in the last three years, the group has helped accumulate a total record of 36-15-5 (Wins-L-T).
If not for the pandemic, they would have earned their third consecutive trip to the state tournament.
“That was a good run,” said senior Kennedy Cole. “It was a really good run. … I felt like we really put our all into it.”
“It’s crazy to think it’s over,” added Hannah Shaw. “We’re not coming back next year all together.”
After watching a large group of seniors graduate following the 2019 season, the foursome knew they were going to have to help build the program with an influx of youth.
Several freshmen saw the field in the regional final; multiple sophomores played major minutes this season and were staples in the starting lineup.
“We just have to have faith in them,” said senior Kamryn Harper, who will be playing soccer at TMCC in the fall. “Of course, we’re going to miss each other, but we are excited to be moving on.”
Defensively, the Tigers were forced to try and take away Northern Nevada’s most electric player, but the new all-time scoring leader showed her poise and ball-striking ability all afternoon.
Douglas found ways to try and get into the flow of its offense, but Galena’s quickness kept the Tigers restrained to fighting out of their own end most of the first half.
“We’ve lost to Galena the past three years now,” said Shaw. “We came off with happy tears. We did what we could.”
It doesn’t take away from their accomplishments.
Senior keeper Madelyn VonAhsen summed up what the season meant to her, after facing one of her busier afternoons in net.
“It feels good that we could do it. Last year, we lost a lot of seniors so we didn’t think we’d be as good, but we are,” VonAhsen said.
The senior was able to keep numerous shots out with leaping saves in her final high school contest.
“I’m hard on these kids because we want to be here,” said Douglas head coach Andrew Robles. “Last year’s team was senior heavy. … With a whole new group, we were able to bring a new team here. Kudos to them. Congrats to her (Flocchini) for breaking the record.”
Douglas ends the shortened fall sports slate, playing on the final day and will cap the year with a 6-3-2 record.
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