Sports
U12 Raiders Top Danvers
A strong group of North Andover girls pulled through over the weekend against a tough Danvers team.
The following was submitted by the North Andover Soccer Association.
The U12 girls North Andover Raiders defeated Danvers 2-1 in Danvers on Saturday October 29. It is hard to single out just one highlight to this game!
Center midfielder DANA SWARTZ responded to a call for creativity ("what does creativity mean to you?") with a well-executed and meaningful heel pass that was one of the better decisions to be made at the time!
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You would think that the expectation for these kinds of new and somewhat-unpracticed things, like heel passes, would result in silly-looking plays that quickly flip possession to the opposing team. But not with the Raiders, and not with Dana!
Dana's positioning as center midfielder also rapidly approached phenomenal in this game! And this came from enormous effort on her part, constantly reviewing her teammates positions and adjusting accordingly.
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Wide player DANIELLE MAGUIRE scored both North Andover goals with one coming from a confident and authoritative penalty kick with Dee-dee being selected by the players - the players, not the coaches! - to take the kick.
Keeper CATHERINE MAGUIRE had enormous control of the game - not just defending shots but directives to all her teammates whether attacking or defending.
Wide player EMILY CARON was, again, always in the right place at the right time and a model wide player (to players off the field: "watch Emily!"). Center back JORDYN KEATING-KODYS was almost literally unbeatable despite playing the entire game with no sub. She is like a one-man platoon, or battalion (whichever has more people involved!).
Target EMMA DICKINSON was ferocious - this is a goal-scorer in the making! Left/right backs ASHLEY GOLAND, SOPHIE MITCHELL, JEANA FLEURY, and ALLY MAHER were terrific pushing the North Andover back line far up the field.
Target MARIA CAVALLARO put maximum effort into chasing down balls no matter how likely they seemed to be heading for Danvers possession. TALIA BROWN had terrific positioning as a wide player and a center midfielder (despite being new to the center midfielder role) and directed teammates in goal!
