1A No. 2 Center Point-Urbana girls’ soccer prevails in matchup of Wamac contenders

MARION - It was a game circled on every calendar and was the most-rugged test to date for two girls' soccer teams brimming with expectations.

Advantage, Center Point-Urbana.

The Class 1A second-ranked Stormin' Pointers kept their unbeaten record intact at 2A No. 7 Marion, 1-0, in a Wamac Conference showdown Friday at Marion High School.

'It definitely gets us more prepared for tougher teams that we're going to face in the future,” said CPU junior Blasi Whitehead, whose goal in the 12th minute provided the final outcome. 'Just gets us more confidence boosted and, ‘Yeah, we can take them.'”

Marion (6-1, 6-1 Wamac) had scored 22 goals through its first six games, but could not consistently penetrate the CPU back line of junior Alexa Coller, sophomore Madison Van Vors, senior Sydney Boevers and Coe College signee Raegan Dufoe. Each of the limited Marion shots on goal were deftly corralled by CPU sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Dufoe, who has yielded just one score all season.

'Our defense hasn't been tested this year and they got to do a lot of work today,” CPU Co-Coach Todd Mitchell said. 'The biggest thing was working together. No one was an individual today. They really connected, they played together, connected from the back to the front to the sides and they really worked those outsides.”

Mitchell called Whitehead his 'clean up,” a player who is willing to change and adapt to new positions in line with the needs of the team.

Whitehead posted 14 goals and four assists largely in a reserve role during her first two varsity seasons. This season, she has moved across the field from a right-wing position to the left.

Her goal off a crossing pass from junior Tori Halder was the fourth this season for Whitehead, which ranks third on the team.

'It's a little different going from your right foot being your dominant to your left,” said Whitehead, who is also a member of the CPU cheer team and runs cross country. 'Other than that, it is mostly the same steps.”

CPU visits Williamsburg on Tuesday, while Marion travels to Monticello on Monday.

AT MARION

Class 1A No. 2 Center Point-Urbana 1, 2A No. 7 Marion 0

Goal - Blasi Whitehead 1 (4). Assist -

Tori Halder 1 (1).

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com