Morgan leads young soccer stars

The Rangers (22-0-3) won five tournaments and did not lose a game this summer. Even so, they were eliminated Saturday, Aug. 9, after two wins and a tie in the Puma Rimland Pacific Cup at Northwest Soccer Park.

"These girls have a great chance to make an impact on their varsity teams as freshmen," said Morgan, 20, who was Great Northern Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year last season. "There's so much talent here."

Morgan was especially impressed with how Rangers striker Jessica Bertucci scored one of her team's most meaningful goals of the season in a 1-0 victory over River City FC from Spokane in Whatcom's first game Saturday, Aug. 9.

"That was just classic Jessica," said Morgan, referring to the way the Sehome-bound Bertucci dribbled about 20 yards through a crowd to score with less than three minutes to play. "What a great goal. She is just so good at dribbling and beating people."

In their second game of the day, however, the Rangers, ranked fourth in the state, tied Willamette 1-1. That left Whatcom with 21 points including 12 for two victories, three for the tie, one for a shutout and five points for goals. But 21 points were not enough to qualify for the semifinals of the 12-team tournament, which finishes Sunday, Aug. 10.

Morgan,who has three years of eligibility remaining at Western, says her coaching has made her a more effective performer.

"When I tell (strikers) Jessica Bertucci, Coryn Bajema and Kelli Bannerman (who scored against Willamette) about something they need to do, it's like telling myself what to do, too," Morgan said. "It's a great way to remind me what I need to do to help our team at Western."

Ronney, 47, has coached for 30 years and, like Morgan, began when he was still a high school player.

"Claire is the 'big sister' for our girls and she's a calming force for when I get too excited," Ronney said with a grin. "She has such a huge impact. I can't say enough about what Claire brings to our team. She's a great balancing force."

"I feel we have a mutual respect," Morgan said of the players. "We can joke off the field, but we take it seriously on the field in practice and games."

With Morgan having played a major role in Bertucci's improvement, the quick striker says she can't wait to begin practice at Sehome. But, as she noted, "It will be difficult" to be playing against her longtime Rangers teammates.

"I was really excited (about her winning goal)," said Bertucci, who has helped the Rangers win tournaments in San Diego and Tukwila and as well as the local Baker Blast plus two tourneys in Skagit County. "Everything was on my mind. After the goal, I couldn't even remember what happened."

Most of the Rangers are in their third season together with Ronney and Morgan, although they will disperse to at least eight Northwest Conference schools when practice soon begins.

"I think they'll all battle for varsity spots (as freshmen)," said Ronney, who knows a little something about high school soccer talent. His stepson, Pat Doran, led Sehome to a boys' state title in 2002 and was a four-year standout at Seattle Pacific University.

"Our girls have been even better than I expected this summer," said Ronney, who team beat Seattle's Emerald City White 6-1 in their tournament opener Friday, Aug. 8. "They put everything on the line for each other and they really are fun to watch."

Rick Beck, the stepfather of standout midfielder Madison Heilmann, says Morgan is especially good at teaching the girls about "the little things that can mean so much in soccer."

For example, the texture and condition of the grass.

"Here's Claire, out there telling the girls about what they can expect in the way of field conditions," Beck said. "It's such a huge benefit for the team. With Claire's youthful ambition, the girls really can relate to her so well. She is just a great mentor."

When Morgan played for Bellingham, she also had to play a concurrent fall high school season, so she's pleased with the shift to winter for club soccer, which continues in spring and summer. The Rangers' current roster began tournament play in May.

"It was really tough," Morgan said of how girls formerly had to play both high school and club at the same time. "I like the new rule. I think it will be good for the high school teams."

All of the divisional title games in the 79-team tournament are scheduled for either 12:30 p.m. or 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10.