Plummer, Pugh Sign to Play College Soccer

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé seniors Blake Plummer and Sophia Pugh high-five after signing letters of intent to play college soccer at Peninsula College and Pratt Institute, respectively. (Klas Stolpe/KINY)

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior girls soccer players Blake Plummer and Sophia Pugh signed to play college soccer on Monday in the JDHS gymnasium before family, friends, teammates and coaches.

  Plummer will attend number one ranked NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Division II Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Washington and Pugh will attend Division III Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

  Plummer and Pugh have both started for Crimson Bears coach Matt Dusenberry since their freshman season.

  “It has been great just seeing these kids grow up in the program,” JDHS coach Dusenberry said. “They have talked about wanting to do this when they were younger so the fact that they put in the hard work and the fact that they are going to the schools that they want to go to that happen to have a soccer team is awesome.”

  Plummer said one of the reasons she chose Peninsula College was Pirates coach Kanyon Anderson’s motto of “Making where you are at, the big time…”

  Peninsula coach Anderson said, “Coach Matt (Dusenberry) reached out and said he had a player I should keep my eye on… What I have seen is she is really balanced… she has the ability to turn really quickly in small spaces and then get her eyes up and make the right pass…”

  Pugh said one of her reasons for choosing Pratt Institute was the combination of  the school’s architectural studies and the atmosphere provided by Cannoneers coach Tara Heatley.

  “We are thrilled to have Sophia joining us next season,” Pratt Institute coach Tara Heatley said.”She is an aggressive player and great defender that will make a big impact and be a huge presence on the team and on the field right away.”

  Plummer said her first soccer memory was wanting to score a goal during a Juneau Parks & Recreation youth soccer game, “I barely kicked it and it slowly rolled in and I remember being so excited…"

  Pugh said her first soccer memory was “being juked on the line by Blake Plummer…”

Blake Plummer/Sophia Pugh info

Above - JDHS seniors Blake Plummer and Sophia Pugh sign letters of intent on Monday in the JDHS gymnasium to play college soccer at Peninsula College and Pratt Institute, respectively. Below - Family members join Blake Plummer and Sophia Pugh at their college signing.

Above - Family, friends and teammates pose with Blake Plummer and Sophia Pugh at their college signing. Below - JDHS seniors Blake Plummer and Sophia Pugh stand with a montage of their soccer careers together.

Above - JDHS soccer coach Matt Dusenberry, center, posed for a photo with Crimson Bears four-year starters Blake Plummer and Sophia Pugh at the duo's signing to attend and play college soccer at Peninsula College and Pratt Institute, respectively.