“It was a great finish to an exciting season,” exclaimed victorious Samoana coach Silasila Samuelu.
“The bottom line is the girls, they are the ones who did all the hard work in winning this championship.”
With less than two minutes remaining to play in the match, and staring down a 2-1 defeat to end their streak of victories, the Sharks kept up the attack and were finally rewarded when Vaiula Toalei scored their second goal of the match.
She also started things rolling for Samoana during the shootout as she calmly netted the Sharks’ first attempt and when the Fa’asao-Marist side’s fourth attempt sailed over the crossbar, it was officially a four-peat.
“I want to thank Fa’asao-Marist and all the schools for making it a very enjoyable competition this year,” Samuelu says.
“I would also like to thank our school principal Mataese Samuelu, the faculty and the students for their support.”
Toalei scored midway through the first half in a game that was dominated by Samoana on the attacking end. Alyssa Willis answered back with a one-on-one goal against the keeper in the second half to tie up the game at 1-1. Nikki Tolmie put the Cougars ahead 2-1 with a 30-yard free-kick that just sailed over the head of Samoan’s goalie, before the match was sent into overtime by Toalei’s late goal.
FFAS Vice-President and Head of Women’s Soccer Sandra Fruean, and executive committee member Amio Mavaega-Luvu handed out the trophies sponsored by FFAS. Assisting them in handing out the awards was DOE Athletics Director Tumua Matu’u.
“Thank you to all the schools, coaches, and players for another great year of girls high school soccer, and again, thank you to the DOE and the Athletics Department for working with us in coordinating this competition,” Fruean says.
“We’ll see you again next year, and continue to play and improve your soccer skills,” Mavaega-Luvu says.
Toalei was named the division’s regular season MVP while her teammate and goalie Ulima Afoa was tabbed as the championship game’s Most Valuable Player. Alofagia Alopopo, coach of the Nu’uuli Voc-Tech Wildcats was named Varsity Coach of the Year.
Masae Tanielu was named MVP of the Junior Varsity division after helping the Faga’itua Vikings win the title. Makerita Tuna of the Tafuna Warriors was named Coach of the Year for the JV.
For more on American Samoa football go to www.ffas.as

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