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Bemelen kicking it with soccer elite
Written by: Joel Priest
7/27/2007
In every line of work, it can’t hurt a prospective talent to have a well-stocked resume.
And whether she chooses to pursue her soccer career at the college level or not (Fort Lewis College has been rumored as a strong possibility), Bayfield’s Danielle “Bend it like” Bemelen certainly added a weighty resume-builder this past month.
Already the first BHS girls’ player ever to earn All-State status—the midfielder was quietly named Honorable Mention (Class 3A) in 2006 by the Colorado High School Coaches Association—Bemelen broke through enough in 2007 to catch the eyes and ears of the Denver-area media, and was named Honorable Mention All-State by the Rocky Mountain News.
Leading the Lady Wolverines with seven goals as a senior (giving her an estimated 23 for her career—details from her freshman season are incomplete), Bemelen also was selected First Team All-Southwestern League and was runner-up in the Player-of-the-Year race again behind the Magic to her Michael on the pitch, Pagosa Springs senior (and FLC signee) Laurel Reinhardt.
Reinhardt was also named First Team All-State by the News, after scoring 18 goals and leading the Lady Pirates to the 3A Tournament, but then suffering a nasty knee injury in PSHS’ postseason match against Colorado Springs Christian. The wind in their sails stilled, Pagosa crumbled and fell to the Lady Lions 10-0. Reinhardt’s teammate, Honorable Mention All-State (by the News) and First Team All-SWL (fourth overall pick) senior Allison Laverty, was also held out with a concussion.
Bayfield’s likely successor to Bemelen, in terms of intensity, was also voted to the All-SWL First Team (seventh pick) for the 2007 season. Junior-to-be Lindsey Lind brought a noticeable fire to BHS’ defense, as well as two of the fastest wheels in the league at any position. Her lone goal netted an overtime win against Ridgway at home in the season-opener, and she often paired with Bemelen as the team’s co-captains, showing her maturation in the sport.
Re-solidifying her position as BHS’ starting goalkeeper, junior-to-be Amber Howlett was between the pipes for all but 21 minutes this year and showed notable skills improvement since taking over for Amber Schwartz last season.
Howlett received her second straight Honorable Mention All-SWL nod for her work as Bayfield finished 6-8 overall and 6-4 in league.
Bayfield rookie skipper Jen Zelinski was voted Coach of the Year after picking up where former leader Karen Dibble left off, and nearly guiding the team to the postseason after finishing third in league behind PSHS and champs Telluride.
Rounding out the 2007 All-Southwestern First Team were:
THS juniors Katherine Hess (third pick), Isabel Waldman (fifth pick), Caitlin Bush (eighth), and Nikki Gallen (tenth); RHS seniors Sam Benke (sixth) and Kirsten Hitchcock (eleventh); PSHS sophomores Kayla Hunt (ninth) and Nichole Kazarinoff (twelfth, only goalie).
FROM SIDELINE TO BACK LINE: Capping off a whirlwind year that saw her go from coaching in the Durango Youth Soccer Association to leading the BHS program, Zelinski—a former Fort Lewis College standout—this month completed her first season as a defender for the Albuquerque Lady Asylum in the WPSL (Women’s Premier Soccer League).
With a 3-1 win at Colorado Springs United on July 15, Asylum finished 5-4-0 overall and fourth in the tight Southwestern Conference (only four points separated the Denver Diamonds, Rush Salt Lake City, Utah Spiders and Albuquerque, with United taking fifth).
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Articles:
5/17/2013 Pole vaulters power BHS into State
4/26/2013 Soccer shows SWL title-worthiness
2/22/2013 Ignacio shocked at loss to Telluride
2/14/2013 Lady ’Cats: Move aside, Mancos
2/8/2013 Wolverines burn out against IHS
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