Anderson and Pirate women restock with star talent

By Eric Trent

After winning back-to-back championships in 2012-2013, coach Kanyon Anderson is making an effort to get back into championship form.

Signing 12 recruits for next season with plans to add one more in hopes of solidifying a team that placed 2nd at the Northwest Athletic Conference championships last year.

The women’s team, last year, put forth an historic defensive effore, breaking an NWAC record en-route to allowing only 4 goals in 23 games.

Now, Anderson has reloaded with a bevy of top prospects ranging from Japan to Nevada.

His first group of eight commits includes,from Hawaii, Cierra Hamilton, 7th ranked prospect; Kameryn Jury-Hale, 9th ranked prospect; Hoku Afong, 11th ranked prospect; and Brianna Jackson-Vallente.

From Nevada, Audrey Barham, 12th ranked prospect; and Ellie Small, 23rd ranked prospect.

From Washington, Isabelle Tyner, Bremerton, 59th ranked prospect; and Elizabeth Hornsey, Silverdale, 88th ranked prospect.

Anderson’s most recent group of additions include, central midfielder, Kobe Yashumira from Hawaii; centerback, Bailey Zuber from Reno, Nevada; central midfielder, Mu Ban from Kyoto, Japan; and goalkeeper, Malia Henderson from Port Townsend, who is the 23rd ranked prospect in Washington.

Gauging the magnitude talent of his this year’s class is still in the works as Anderson has yet to see all of them play together, as a team. “It’s hard to say because you never know so much of what determines what the quality of a class is. How they work together, how hard they train,” Anderson said.

“In terms of raw talent, this is probably in our top two or three classes we’ve ever signed. We’ve only signed six classes, so it’s definitely a class I’m excited about,” Anderson said.

“It could be the best attacking class we’ve ever brought in. Looking at this group, there are some really special, gifted goal-scorers. Goal scoring is a hard thing to coach, you’ve either got the knack, or you don’t,” Anderson said.

“If the kids that I think are going to be goal-scorers turn out to be who I think they’ll be, then it could potentially be our best class. But, it’s too early to know for sure,” Anderson said.

This incoming class of freshman goal-scorers, paired with the returning defensive players should even out a team that was mostly defensive-heavy last year. “Most of our returners, most of our depth, is in the midfield. I think we’ll be really balance next year. I don’t expect us to be quite as good defensively, and I expect us to be a little stronger on the attack,” Anderson concluded.