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Vail Christian’s Bowles makes all-league

Chris Freud
Vail, CO Colorado
VCGS Brooke Bowles DT 4-17-09
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EDWARDS, Colorado ” She’s the first.

Vail Christian junior Brooke Bowles earned 3A Slope all-league honors, becoming the first Saints soccer player to earn the honor in school history. She’s joined on the all-league team by the Francis sisters, Sammy and Dakota, who were honorable-mention selections.

“I feel honored and excited,” Bowles said. “I’m glad that I got it, but it’s pretty much a reflection of our team effort. It wasn’t just me.”



That said, Bowles played a big part in Vail Christian’s first season as a full member of the 3A Slope. The junior scored a team-high eight goals, including a golden one in her team’s 2-1 win against Roaring Fork.

“She definitely deserved it,” Saints coach Barbara Wilson said. “She was in on goals. She had assists. She was always hustling. She’s a great catalyst for the team.”

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Bowles and Sammy Francis tended to feed off each other, so it’s appropriate the latter was also honored. Francis started the season as a fullback, but Wilson moved her up front later in the season to midfield and the goals came for the senior to the tune of four in the Saints’ final six games.

“We were thinking, ‘Why didn’t we do this before,”” Wilson joked. “Earlier in the season we were going against stronger offensive teams and we had to have Sammy in back. She really made the transition well.”

While Sammy scored, Dakota’s job was to prevent the opposing team from doing so. With a team which was still getting its footing in a new league, Dakota saw a ton of shots this spring, but she still managed to keep Vail Christian in a lot of games.

Dakota’s biggest moment of the season likely came at Grand Valley when she had to stop three penalty shots to preserve a 1-1 tie.

“Unfortunately, her goal-against average didn’t really reflect how well she played,” Wilson said. “She really progressed as the season went on. She was encouraged and excited to see herself making new types of saves.”

Sports Editor Chris Freud can be reached at 970-748-2934 or cfreud@vaildaily.com.


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