By james art 
Lakeland – Lakeland Christian was looking for a player to give a boost to the crime after the leading goalkeeper of the Marie Carr season ended with an injury before the county tournament.
Kyle Coleman turned out to be this player.
Coleman assisted at the first goal, then scored a goal, as Lakeland Christian beat Catholic Catholic Santa Fa 3-0 on Thursday night in the district championship 9-2A. The victory gives LCS its 15th consecutive district title. Both Lakeland Christian (12-6-3) and Catholic Santa Fe (14-4-2) will move to the regional quarterfinals on February 11th.
The Vikings returned a talented and veteran squad after winning their fourth consecutive state title last year, but LCS coach Jason Streets had concern who would score goals.
This concern began with Ali Williams’ injury before the season and grown with Eli Cox’s injury at the beginning of the season, and they were both expected to be among the leading scorers of the teams. The concern increased even more when Carr and its leaders from the team 10 goals became inaccessible.
Lakeland Christian has 52 goals in 21 games – a tempo well below last year when the Vikings scored 105 goals in 27 games.
These streets moved Coleman to Carr’s position, it shouldn’t have been a surprise. The first team, a defender of all cities last season, showed its flexibility when it moved to help harden the midfield this season after the two -time player of the year KJ Straub was completed. She has moved forward now. It was not an easy move.
“I think it’s just different because the midfielder you are worried about connecting the pass and making sure you find people out and forward to get the opportunity to get them,” Coleman said. “But forward, I’m something like just moving in my pocket, getting the ball now, and trying to look to get.”
Coleman’s passage skills were obvious at LCS’s first goal. After no avail, the first half in which LCS was banned, Coleman made a strong mileage on the left, then focused on Ella Williams, who turned to give LCS lead 1-0 in the 54th minute. About four minutes later, she struck her head as she loaded the field and headed it as the goalkeeper tried to pick it up.
Even before the whole Streets was pleased with the Coleman game.
“We moved her because she’s very fast,” the streets said. “Her first touch is great and she is very good to hold the ball up and then find the overlapping tracks. I thought that she did a really good job tonight, isolating one in one and just running up the back, but she gives us a good pace. “
Coleman admitted that he was pressure to perform well.
“This game, yes, because, well, in fact everyone, but this game, because obviously this is the district title and, this is my job to evaluate,” she said.
Alice Carroll put a exclamation of victory when she torn a goal of about 25 yards out.
Coleman, senior, was in the four teams of the State Championship, but said winning the title of the district remained special.
“It definitely means something,” she said. “We had to win this to make sure we could. I think we needed to win, especially to bring us back into the groove, because we were like a series of loss and bonding. It was somehow to take us down, but we worked hard in practice. “
It was an expensive victory as the injuries continued to press against LCS. Sophomore Finley Traforcedt, who was one of the best players throughout the season as a fast outside, came out with a knee injury at the beginning of the season at the beginning of the game.
Santa Fe was also not in full force, as Copeland Collany was on crutches after being injured by the Crimson Hawks semi -final game.
The two teams could meet again in the post -season.