Winger's transition, speedy attack on display in full force

Red Wing’s quick-attacking girls soccer team began the season by scoring 13 goals in their first three games. In their homecoming week match against Lake City, a 5-1 victory Thursday, they displayed a soccer sense that has been building since the beginning of the 2025 season.

No one graduated from last year’s team. That gave head coach Taylor Becker the chance to continue preaching faster play. Players have stuck with and grown into their positions. How they’ve done it starts from the back end.

On defense guarding against any missed ball or outside touch from the opposition are seniors Dylann Ledebuhr and Bella Schaffer.

“Our center backs being seniors; they've seen a lot of this before. Bella Schafer is really strong at covering for us at any point,” Becker said. “She'll come out of nowhere. Her and Dylann work really well together.”

Schaffer and Ledebuhr each feed off each other on and off the field. When they are on, most can’t get through them physically. They have the speed to track down a high attacker if the ball slips past.

Even in the light rain and slippery conditions Thursday night against the Tigers, the two shut down the Tigers from getting many shots from the center of the field and prevented any dangerous scoring chances on corner kicks.

What Ledebuhr and Schaffer help the Wingers do best is transition with speed. They didn’t clear the ball just to clear it. The intent was to clear it up to a midfielder who could collect, turn up field and within a couple strides to find Ava Urzua-Charnecki, Anna Stockton or Samara Stockton racing down field.

Becker said one of the biggest differences from last year to this year has been the transition. Last year, the Wingers were able to get the ball up field, but with somewhat reckless abandon. More of the forwards chasing down a ball instead of creating on their own.

“In the past, when kids aren't as comfortable on the ball as you'd like them to be, it's a little boot and figure it out later,” Becker said. “We've gotten a lot better with taking that time to take a touch, find a pass. You have a little more time than you think you do and of course we've got the outlets there that are fast. If can find them quickly and we can get out quickly, that usually turns into good chances for us.”

While the speed was highlight worthy, so too was the goal from Olivia Yeatman. A perfect strike in every sense. Right off the foot, it had the look of going in. Her free kick shot from roughly 20 yards out went in the top corner of the net just under the cross bar.

It was her first goal of the season.

“Liv has been such a solid player for us. She's been varsity for a couple years and she has a lot of experience,” Becker said. “We've been really trying to get her those open shots because she has a leg on her. She can hit those consistently. It's fun to see her rewarded for that. “

Red Wing snapped a three-game losing streak by overwhelming Lake City in the second half with their speedy approach. Samara Stockton and Anna Stockton and third attacker Ava Urzua-Charnecki were able to run freely up the field at times with the ball.

Whether it was Urzua-Charnecki to one of the two Stocktons or Samara to Anna, the Wingers found a few breakaway goals to extend the lead. On two of the Winger goals, Tiger goalkeeper Clara Knudsen came well out of the box to challenge the Winger with the ball. In both cases, the Wingers sidestepped the pressure and ran it in for a wide-open goal.

Cora Weist tied the game 1-1 in the first half. The Tiger junior scored off a free kick that deflected over the hands of Winger goalkeeper Elena Urzua-Charnecki. After Yeatman’s goal to put the Wingers up 2-1, it was all Red Wing.

The Wingers used everyone on the roster, and there’s a good chance that each player had a touch at some point during the game.