By Jeremy McDonald
jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
AURORA, Ore.– Mya Hammack quickly gave North Marion a 1-0 lead on Woodburn within the first 90 seconds of Thursday afternoon’s game was eye-opening in both teams season opener.
Perhaps not considering the athlete that Hammack is playing from midfielder entering her Junior season for the Huskies in 2019 as she kicked off her season with a hat trick in the 7-0 North Marion win Thursday afternoon.
But for the remainder of the half, the youthful Bulldogs did shutdown Hammack and North Marion’s offense and Woodburn had their opportunities with players out of position on this humid September afternoon with dark, thunderstorm clouds rolling up the Cascade’s to the East.
“We were a little bit tired in the first half, but our communication was well, our passing was well,” said North Marion goalkeeper Alex McArthur. “We just stayed really strong. They pushed us, we push back and we didn’t let up at all.”
Despite the Bulldogs constant pressure, the score remained at 1-0 entering the halftime break. Both teams played each other to Penalty Kicks over the summer with North Marion taking the victory that particular day.
And as the thunderstorm clouds crept out over the setting sun entering the second half to close out the first week of the season, the Huskies came out brought the storm and pressure to challenge the youth of Woodburn during the second half.
The Huskies, within the first seven minutes of the second half, saw Dani Christenson, Hammack and Crater Crawford score to turn the tight-knit 1-0 ball game into a 4-0 ball game behind some energy that wasn’t there during the first half. Call it first game rust, but it’s a good learning experience moving forward on how to start game strongly and carry it over to the second half of games.
Following the game the shirt was mentioned: ‘One team plays with one hear’, and as they enter the second week of the season the process of coming together as one team will become easier and easier as the season progress.
“I think we just to play more as a team. We have this shirt, ‘One team plays with one heart’ and we just really have to go out there, connect those passes, play the right through balls,” said Hammack, who picked up her Hat Trick in the 68th minute. “Not too far, not force anything. We just need to connect the passes and play as a team.”
“We just need to get to know each other a little bit better and the more we get to know each other that we’re going to play together,” adds McArthur. “It’s a process, we’re all figuring out who’s really good at what so we can help others and making sure all the things that need to be done, are getting done.”
North Marion travels to Junction City Tuesday before hosting Valley Catholic Thursday afternoon at home.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
