PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles’ Lucah Folden will be going away to college, but she will be returning home to play soccer at least once or twice a year for the next couple of years.
Folden, an outstanding defender for the Roughriders girls soccer team, signed Wednesday to play for the Edmonds Community College Tritons.
Edmonds plays in the North Division of the Northwest Athletic Conference, the same division as the Peninsula College Pirates and plays Peninsula three times a year as part of divisional play.
Folden, a first-team all-Olympic League 2A selection, was a huge part of the Riders’ amazing defensive run this season, in which Port Angeles gave up just 14 goals in 20 games — including 10 shutouts.
“It’s been really fun to see her progression from a freshman wide-eyed to be on the varsity,” said Port Angeles coach Scott Moseley.
“She’s a big reason we set a bunch of records defensively. Edmonds is going to get a really good defender,” Moseley said.
He urged Port Angeles soccer fans to come out to Peninsula College to watch Folden play when Edmonds visits the Pirates next fall.
Folden said deciding to keep playing soccer and picking a school “has taken a lot of stress off my senior year.”
“This has been my dream the past few years,” she said.
“We’re just so very proud of her,” said her father Duane Folden. “We’re excited about her next career and next adventure.”
Folden’s U.S history teacher Dave Uranich had no doubt Folden will succeed at Edmonds.
“Her maturity level is sky-high — far beyond her years. We know you. You will never have a problem, you will be successful in everything you do,” Uranich said.
Folden said she picked Edmonds because she likes coach Aaron Howe.
“I like coming into a new program and building it up. I really like the recruiting class,” Folden said. Edmonds is in the midst of rebuilding, but was second in the NWAC as recently as 2013.
Folden also likes that a former Storm King teammate, Sequim defender Gabby Happe, has also committed to playing for Edmonds.
“That’s really cool, she’s a friend and a rival,” Folden said.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.
