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Soccer

Attack v defence

We’ve been at the cutting edge of rugby coaching since we launched in 2005, creating resources for the grassroots youth coach, following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.Rugby Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use rugby drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, small-sided games, warm-ups, training tips and advice. […]

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Attack v defence

We’ve been at the cutting edge of rugby coaching since we launched in 2005, creating resources for the grassroots youth coach, following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.Rugby Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use rugby drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, small-sided games, warm-ups, training tips and advice.

College Sports

Flanary didn't let adversity keep her from college dreams

Her goals were set heading into her senior season at Dobyns-Bennett. Lots of goals. 0

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Flanary didn't let adversity keep her from college dreams


Her goals were set heading into her senior season at Dobyns-Bennett. Lots of goals.

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Mount Savage native gaining interest as college soccer prospect

MOUNT SAVAGE — Mount Savage native and Mountain Ridge rising senior Jesseca Kline is garnering interest from numerous college soccer programs after spending the last decade playing high-level travel and club soccer. Kline has a chance to become the first Division I women’s soccer recruit from Mountain Ridge since 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kline does […]

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Mount Savage native gaining interest as college soccer prospect

MOUNT SAVAGE — Mount Savage native and Mountain Ridge rising senior Jesseca Kline is garnering interest from numerous college soccer programs after spending the last decade playing high-level travel and club soccer.

Kline has a chance to become the first Division I women’s soccer recruit from Mountain Ridge since 2016.

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Kline does not hold any offers but has received interest from 15 Division I and 11 Division II programs, also holding interest from 31 Division III and several Juco and NAIA schools.

“It is an honor to represent the area at any division, especially D1,” Kline said. “I love playing soccer very much, but my academics are very important to me. I’m looking for the right fit for myself to balance both academics, athletics, and costs, which might be a D2 instead.”

Niven Hegeman was the Miners’ last Division 1 recruit, signing with the University of Maryland.

The stout defender was the Area Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015 and went 29-1 in the Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference (AMAC) in her career, losing her first high school game to Hampshire.

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Hegeman spent the next four seasons at Maryland and played 35 games for the Terrapins with 26 starts.

Kline played five of her six years of club soccer in sanctioned leagues, earning two State Cup championships and three finalists.

In 2022 with BVBIA (BVB International Academy) of Morgantown, Kline’s team finished first in West Virginia.

The BVB Academy is the international academy for Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund with locations across the United States.

Kline’s team became one of two girl’s teams in BVBIA club history to reach the USYS (United States Youth Soccer) National League, competing in the Great Lakes Conference against teams from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

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“I think Jesseca’s got a great personality, she’s a hard worker,” BVBIA head coach Kernell Borneo said. “Definitely understands the game as well as a level of commitment, being able to drive over an hour to practice in Morgantown.”

After Kline’s freshman year, she was offered to compete in the ECNL (Elite Clubs National League) midwest division as part of the Super Y.

The ECNL is considered the top level of youth soccer while the Super Y is one of the top tier summer leagues.

In Super Y play, Kline scored one goal and added a pair of assists, leading her team to a third-place finish and a berth in the national championship.

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Due to a lack of available players, her team was unable to compete at nationals.

In Kline’s sophomore year, she competed in the Olympic Development Program and reached the East Region ID event, one level shy of the interregional event that provides the selection pool for the national team.

As BVBIA was changing leagues, Kline joined the top ranked team in PA West, FC 814 Energy in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

“From a skill standpoint, I would say decision making,” Travis Delio, Kline’s trainer, said of where she’s improved the most in the two years he’s worked with her. “She’s always had a nice foundation of skill. Her decision making has improved, and her willingness to be more involved in the game because of her confidence in her skill level.”

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Kline played her second consecutive season in the USYS National League Great Lakes Conference, leading FC 814 to it’s highest national ranking in North America (12th).

FC 814 earned a spot in the 2023 USYS National Championship Playoffs, considered one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious youth soccer tournaments.

Kline earned the game-winning assist in the first game and went the length of the field for a goal denying tackle in the 75th minute, securing a 2-1 win and earning the top seed in the semifinals.

After dropping the first semifinal game in penalties, and the second 1-0, Kline’s play at defender prevented any scoring opportunities and allowed her team to complete a 3-2 comeback victory.

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“My biggest benefit from playing club soccer would be that it makes me a better all-around player,” Kline said. “They focus more on the smaller stuff and controlling the ball at your feet. They are also really big on confidence and believing that you can beat someone one-on-one with confidence and always hyping you up. The girls are fantastic and always supportive.”

Her father Dave Kline has been involved in travel soccer for 15 years and does not believe anyone else from the area has played in two national championships.

In Kline’s first season on varsity at Mountain Ridge last fall, she led the Miners in shots on goal (63%), goals per SOG (50%), tackles (74%), one-on-one duels/challenges (73%) with beating up to three defenders, pass completion (67%), and forward passes completed in the attacking third (66%).

Dave Kline said he acquired the stats from iSportsAnalysis in England, which calculates the stats based on minutes played.

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Kline was on all but one of the area statistical leaderboards for points and finished second on the Miners and 22nd locally with 14.

Notably, Kline did not start a game last season.

“I think the biggest difference is the level of play, and all the teams play possession soccer,” Jesseca Kline said of comparing club soccer to high school. “In the National League, everyone trains and practices year-round. Final decision making and passing are critical because the speed of play is fast.”

Kline spent the following winter playing in the YMCA U19 boy’s winter indoor league, scoring nine goals over eight games.

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Several Mountain Ridge boys players were on the team including Owen Cooper, Trey Idol and Austin Simpson.

Kline then rejoined her BVBIA team which won three games over college teams including Division II West Virginia Wesleyan and Hagerstown Community College, which was a quarterfinalist in Region 20.

“We really push our girls playing at our level to understand the level of competition, and what it takes to play at the college level,” Borneo said.

They also defeated Christendom College of the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) who reached the national championship in 2024.

Kline’s team tied Division II Fairmont State which is also coached by Borneo.

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Kline competed at the Eastern Regional Championships last weekend in Aldie, Virginia, where her team defeated the third-ranked team in the country before falling to the fourth-ranked squad.

“One is speed, something she certainly has,” Delio said of what separates college prospects from high school players. “Some people can train it, some people have it naturally. I think she has a little bit of both, naturally fast but also improving in speed. It’s a major element, especially in women’s soccer. If you’re fast, a coach will find you.”

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College Sports

Mass. college student seriously burned in explosion at frat party suing liquor manufacturer

WORCESTER, Mass. — A student at a Massachusetts college is suing a liquor manufacturer after suffering “catastrophic” burns in an explosion at a party at a Worcester Polytechnic Institute fraternity house in May. Yvette Digan, a 22-year-old Boston University exchange student from Hong Kong, claims she suffered burns, permanent disfigurements, and other injuries due to […]

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Mass. college student seriously burned in explosion at frat party suing liquor manufacturer

WORCESTER, Mass. — A student at a Massachusetts college is suing a liquor manufacturer after suffering “catastrophic” burns in an explosion at a party at a Worcester Polytechnic Institute fraternity house in May.

Yvette Digan, a 22-year-old Boston University exchange student from Hong Kong, claims she suffered burns, permanent disfigurements, and other injuries due to the explosion, which her attorneys blame on a bottle of 190-proof Everclear grain vodka, according to a lawsuit.

“I was invited to Zeta Psi to socialize and meet people because I was new in the area,” Digan recalled in court documents obtained by Boston 25 News. “We were minding our own business and having a conversation when the unthinkable happened.”

Digan’s attorneys allege that Everclear removed warnings from its bottles, stating it was safe near open flames and stoves.

Surveillance video shows multiple people sitting around a fire before an explosive fireball erupts, highlighting the dangerous circumstances leading up to the incident.

“Out of nowhere, I was set on fire and screaming. Multiple boys tackled me to take the fire out, and then they called the ambulance,” Digan explained in the documents. “It all became blurry, and I felt like I couldn’t feel my body or speak.”

The attorneys argue that the 95 percent ethanol in Everclear creates explosive vapors even at room temperature, posing significant risks.

The lawsuit raises concerns about the safety of high-proof alcohol products and the importance of adequate warning labels to prevent similar incidents.

Read the full lawsuit below (Warning: graphic images):

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Players to Watch

The ECNL Girls National Finals are being held in Richmond, VA from July 18-21, featuring top teams in the U13-U17 age groups. After Slammers HB Køge captured the U18/19 Champions League title during the ECNL Playoffs in San Diego, the remaining Champions League winners will be crowned in Richmond. A total of 40 quarterfinalists from […]

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Players to Watch

The ECNL Girls National Finals are being held in Richmond, VA from July 18-21, featuring top teams in the U13-U17 age groups.

After Slammers HB Køge captured the U18/19 Champions League title during the ECNL Playoffs in San Diego, the remaining Champions League winners will be crowned in Richmond. A total of 40 quarterfinalists from the U13-U17 divisions – 8 in each age group – booked their trips to the ECNL Finals after some stellar performances in the group stage and Round of 16.

(+Players That Impressed: ECNL Girls Playoffs 2025)

To see the list of registered college coaches for the ECNL’s final postseason event, click here.

Ahead of the ECNL Girls National Finals, here are some players to know. Players are listed according to their graduation year.

You can also nominate a player that will be attending the event. To nominate a player for consideration, CLICK HERE.

2030

Aubrey Taylor | Midfielder
San Diego Surf 2011 (CA)

After San Diego Surf 2011 completely overpowered their first four postseason opponents, outscoring them by a margin of 17-5, they head to the ECNL Finals with the wind at their backs. One of many talented players on the roster, Taylor recently appeared at the U.S. U-14 Girls National Talent ID Camp this spring. She’s a key member of the Surf midfield which controls the game with their elite pace of play.

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Ella Vanstone | Goalkeeper
San Diego Surf 2011 (CA)

The pressure was mostly off for Vanstone and the San Diego Surf 2011 defense during the group stage and Round of 16, as the Surf offense piled up 17 goals over the course of 4 straight wins on their home fields. However, the ECNL Finals tend to produce big opportunities for goalkeepers to shine, and Vanstone will be one to watch as she goes up against some of the country’s best strikers.

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Brazil Crockett | Defender / Midfielder
So Cal Blues 2011 (CA)

Crockett and her So Cal Blues 2011 teammates churned out 4 consecutive victories during the ECNL Playoffs, outscoring them by a total margin of 13-3. After sweeping the group stage, they secured a 3-0 clean sheet win over Sting Austin in the Round of 16, booking their trip to Richmond. Crockett is a game-changing two-way player who can go from making a huge defensive stop against an opponent’s top offensive weapon, to promptly going on the attack herself.

2029

Nina Clement | Defender
FC Stars Blue 2010 (MA)

One of the nation’s premier defensive players from the Class of 2029, Clement is a member of the U.S. U-15 Girls National Team. She and her teammates on the back line were phenomenal during the ECNL Playoffs in San Diego, limiting four tough opponents to 3 total goals, and securing a clean sheet against VDA in the Round of 16.

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Sarah Webb | Goalkeeper
Solar SC 2011 (TX)

Webb and the Solar SC 2011 defensive unit completely dominated the competition at the ECNL Playoffs, conceding only 2 total goals over 4 games. She and the Solar back line are well-organized, rarely putting themselves in bad situations. When she does need to come up with a big save, she’s up for the task. She’s also a great distributor out of the back, with a well-rounded skillset that earned her a call-up for the U.S. U-14 Girls National Talent ID Camp.

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Kate Cintron | Forward / Midfielder
So Cal Blues 2011 (CA)

An attacking player with skills well beyond her years, Cintron is one of the hardest-working players in the country. She has exceptional ball control and navigates incredibly well in tight spaces, making the most out of even the smallest cracks in the defense. She’s also deadly accurate when shooting, often placing her shots perfectly inside the post. (HIGHLIGHTS)

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Bonnie Earl | Forward
So Cal Blues 2011 (CA)

Earl is another important member of the star-studded So Cal Blues 2011 squad which will be a strong contender for the ECNL National Championship. She was one of only 60 players called up to the U.S. U-14 Girls National Talent ID Camp this spring, and she continued to show why she’s on the USYNT radar after some more outstanding performances in the ECNL Playoffs, where So Cal Blues racked up 13 goals in 4 games.

2028

This dazzling playmaker in the midfield for MVLA SC 2010 has been receiving consistent call-ups to the U.S. U-15 Girls National Team, as she’s led her team into the ECNL Quarterfinals. With Yoshimura continuously creating space, attacking on the dribble and making pinpoint passes into tight windows, MVLA was able to churn out 10 goals against some of the nation’s best defensives in the group stage and Round of 16.

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Gigi Zuniga | Defender / Forward
MVLA SC 2010 (CA)

Another standout with U.S. Girls National Team experience for MVLA SC 2010, Zuniga is a modern two-way athlete who can do it all, playing multiple positions at a high level. She thrives in the transition game, often forcing turnovers and turning them to quick scoring chances, with her top-end speed and playmaking instincts. Zuniga is a central piece of an MLVA side which turned in an outsanding all-around performance in San Diego, outscoring their 4 opponents by a combined margin of 10-3.

2027

Part of an MVLA SC 2009 squad which came out on top of some closely-contested battles in the early rounds of the ECNL Playoffs, Makasini and her teammates now turn their attention to the ECNL Finals. The Class of 2027 forward / midfielder is creative with the ball at her feet and excellent in tight spaces, often making perfect final passes into the box to set up her teammates for goals.

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Meila Brewer | Midfielder
KC Athletics 2009 (KS)

A highly-rated professional prospect, Brewer represents the U.S. Girls National Team roster pool and she joined NWSL club KC Current’s preseason camp as a non-roster invitee. Capable of playing multiple positions, she’s one of the most dominant defensive players in the country, thanks to her world class strength and speed. Her physical skills are matched by her competitiveness, intensity, leadership and high soccer IQ.

2026


Peyton Trayer

Goalkeeper

This future North Carolina Tar Heel and U-17 USWNT roster pool member is a dominant force between the posts for Slammers HB Køge 2008. She’s tall and imposing with a 6-foot wingspan, and also extremely quick on her feet and athletic moving to either side. Trayer has all the tools of an elite goalkeeper while moving and handling the ball with the technical skills of a field player.

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Saint Francis Men's Soccer Discloses 2025 Schedule

Men’s Soccer | 7/11/2025 11:44:00 AM Story Links 2025 Schedule Saint Francis men’s soccer head coach Mads Kaiser has announced his 2025 schedule. Two games against Power 5 conference teams and nine games at the Stokes SoccerPlex highlight the schedule. The Red Flash open the third season under Kaiser on the road at Xavier on […]

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Saint Francis Men's Soccer Discloses 2025 Schedule

Men’s Soccer | 7/11/2025 11:44:00 AM

2025 Schedule

Saint Francis men’s soccer head coach Mads Kaiser has announced his 2025 schedule. Two games against Power 5 conference teams and nine games at the Stokes SoccerPlex highlight the schedule.

The Red Flash open the third season under Kaiser on the road at Xavier on August 21. It is the second-straight campaign the team will open on the road, and it will be the first meeting against Xavier. It will be the eighth time Saint Francis opens the season against a big conference school, and the first since ending in a scoreless draw against North Carolina State in 2011. The squad has also played its inaugural game of the season against Penn State (1998, 2009), Pittsburgh (1999), West Virginia (2000), and Michigan State (2004, 2008).

“With a young and hungry group, this year’s schedule is designed to challenge us right from the start,” said Kaiser. “From high-level exhibitions to tough road trips and a competitive NEC slate, every game is an opportunity to grow, build chemistry, and raise our standard. We’re excited for the journey ahead and committed to being the most prepared version of ourselves when conference play begins.”
]
Saint Francis makes its home debut against St. Bonaventure on August 28. It will be the 25th meeting in the series, but the two teams look to complete a game in Loretto for the first time since 2017. The two teams, slated to open the 2022 campaign at the Stokes SoccerPlex, had the game stopped due to lightning and could not continue. In 2024, the two teams were never able to start the match due to lightning.  

The Red Flash then hits the road for its second match against a Power 5 conference team with its first-ever meeting against Maryland in College Park on September 1. The Loretto team owns two wins against a Big 10 opponent after defeating Penn State in 2013 (1-0) and 2016 (3-1), a Big 12 win against West Virginia (1-0, 2014) and six wins against the Big East (three against West Virginia, two against Pittsburgh and one against Cincinnati).

Saint Francis returns home to clash with old Northeast Conference friend Robert Morris on September 4. It will be the 39th meeting in the series and the fifth since the Colonials joined the Horizon League. 

The Red Flash will then embark on its only two-game road trip at Loyola on September 9 and Duquesne on September 17. Loyola returns to the schedule for the first time since 2016, marking the seventh meeting in the matchup. Meanwhile, Duquesne returns to the slate for the first time since 2021, marking the 21st encounter between the two squads. 

Bucknell wraps up non-conference play in Loretto for the 25th meeting. The Red Flash has won the last four matches to take a 12-11-2 edge in the series.

Saint Francis opens NEC play on the road at Le Moyne on September 28, before a two-game homestand against Mercyhurst (October 2) and LIU (October 5) kicks off the month of October.

The squad will also host New Haven (October 16), FDU (October 26), and CCSU (November 9), while traveling to Chicago State (October 9), Howard (October 19), and Stonehill (October 30) in the final six games of the regular season. New Haven is joining the NEC this season, and the men’s soccer team is the only fall team that will host the new league member for a fall competition. 

Saint Francis looks to make the NEC Tournament for the fourth consecutive season on November 13 and 16. The Top Two seeds host the opening round, and then the highest remaining seed will host the NEC Championship Game. 

“This season is also a chance to honor all those who’ve built and competed for this program at the Division I level, a legacy we’re proud to represent every time we step on the field,” said Kaiser.

The team looks to make its 12th appearance in the NEC Tournament and its first NEC Tournament title. The Red Flash advanced to the NEC Championship Game in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016. 

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The 2024

KAYCEE MANDING South Dakota State Jackrabbits The Jacks went back to another NCAA tournament, and their defense led the way, with Manding serving as the backbone. The senior defender helped the Jackrabbits limit Summit League opponents to a conference-best 0.63 goals per game. Almost never leaving the field, Manding notched three goals and four assists […]

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The 2024

KAYCEE MANDING

South Dakota State Jackrabbits


The Jacks went back to another NCAA tournament, and their defense led the way, with Manding serving as the backbone.

The senior defender helped the Jackrabbits limit Summit League opponents to a conference-best 0.63 goals per game. Almost never leaving the field, Manding notched three goals and four assists to go with her sterling defense.

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Editor’s note: Check out the 2024-2025 College Athletes of the Year page to see our selections for other sports.

Matt Zimmer

Matt Zimmer is a Sioux Falls native and longtime sports writer. He graduated from Washington High School where he played football, legion baseball and developed his lifelong love of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he returned to Sioux Falls, and began a long career in amateur baseball and sports reporting. Email Matt at mzimmer@siouxfallslive.com.

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