Sports : Vikettes win final soccer game on old field; team to play on new turf next year

Lyndsey Cornell scored on this play in the Vikettes' 8-0 win over Monticello.

The era of soccer on "the hill" is over.

The Vinton-Shellsburg girls team played the last home game on the field just east of the high school parking lot, where the teams have played since soccer came to VSHS. The girls defeated Monticello, 8-0.

The boys played their last home game on that field on Monday.

Next season, both teams will compete on the field turf, sharing it with the football team. Work on that project began this week and is expected to be completed in time for the first home football game.

Vikette Coach Dave Cornell said the new field will allow the team to continue to practice and compete with fewer interruptions due to weather.

This year's Vikettes ended their season with a team record nine wins, finishing at 9-7.

"We have worked hard to become a very good team," said Cornell. "We only had three games where we were not competive."

Although most of the starters are underclassmen, there will be the important position of goalie to fill with the graduation of Chelsea Meier. Cornell says he is "recruiting" potential replacements for Meier, who was among the leaders in Class 1A in both save and save percentage.

The Vikettes begin the post-season in Class 1A Region 5 on Tuesday, June 2, with a 6 p.m. game at Gladbrook-Reinbeck.