SPRINGDALE -- Evie Cannon has already accomplished a major feat nine games into the season for Springdale Har-Ber.
Cannon scored her first hat trick and it came against Har-Ber's biggest rival, Springdale High, in a non-conference game. Cannon had already scored two goals when she finished the hat trick on a penalty kick in the final minutes of the game.
Profile
Evie Cannon
SCHOOL: Springdale Har-Ber
CLASS: Junior
POSITION: Forward
NOTABLE: Second on the team with six goals… Scored half of her goals against Springdale, when she made a penalty kick to complete a hat trick…. Played basketball for Har-Ber for almost two years before quitting to concentrate on soccer…. Plays during the summer with the Arkansas Comets, a club team.
"I got another chance with a PK and I was really nervous before taking it," Cannon said. "I shot it and it barely rolled in behind the goalie. It was a great feeling to score three goals in one game, especially against Springdale."
Har-Ber (4-4-1) was scheduled to open 7A/6A-West Conference play last Thursday against Bentonville, but that game was canceled because of severe weather. The Lady Wildcats will now begin league play against Rogers Heritage on Wednesday.
Cannon, a junior, has developed into a reliable scorer while playing mostly forward for Har-Ber. She is an aggressive ball handler and playmaker who is second on the team with six goals.
"Evie does very well in winning the ball for us," Har-Ber coach John Marshall said. "She does a good job passing the ball, setting up her teammates, and making runs with the ball."
Cannon played both varsity soccer and basketball until recently. She was a backup at guard for the Lady Wildcats before deciding to quit late in the season.
"I've been playing soccer since I was 4 years old, and I really missed it while playing basketball," Cannon said. "Soccer practice was about to start and I wanted to get back out here with the girls. I like basketball, but I love soccer and I'm better at it than basketball."
Following the season, Cannon will play again with her club team, the Arkansas Comets. The team played last year in Orlando, Fla., where Disney World is located.
"We didn't play well in the tournament, but it was a good experience," Cannon said. "I liked Universal Studios and Harry Potter World the best. We were down there for a week and had a lot of fun."
Cannon hopes her fun will continue this week with the beginning of conference play. The Lady Wildcats finished 4-3 in the league last year before losing its first game in the state tournament.
"I expect us to be better than last year," Cannon said. "We get along better and we're motivated."
Sports on 04/06/2014