Bob Weaver, Kalli White achieve career milestones in Granby’s shutout win in WMass Class D girls soccer opener

GRANBY — Two for the price of one.

The Granby girls soccer team’s 9-0 win against Smith Academy during the quarterfinal round of the Western Massachusetts Class D tournament on Wednesday was more than just a dominant showing for the Rams.

Junior Kalli White netted her 100th career point and head coach Bob Weaver took home win No. 100 of his career as Granby celebrated a couple of noteworthy accomplishments following the victory over the Falcons.

“I’ve been dreaming of this moment ever since I was a little kid,” White said. “I would look at the banners up on the walls [at school] and I always wanted to be on those, so it’s really special.”

“I had no clue, none whatsoever,” Weaver said on reaching triple-figure wins. “We built through the season to play in the tournament. It was a good start. We’ll move on. We talked to them before the game started, it’s a bunch of one-game tournaments [now].”

Weaver has held the head coaching position with the Granby girls soccer team since 2016, while White has laced up for the Rams’ varsity squad since she was in eighth grade.

Wednesday’s result was essentially sewn up by halftime as Granby led, 8-0, following 40 minutes of play. White’s milestone moment occurred less than five minutes into regulation as the Rams’ second goalscorer of the match.

Granby’s No. 13 took a centering feed from Marcela Tapia within the box, then completed a turnaround shot that rolled past Smith goalie Vivian Higuera and doubled the Rams’ lead to 2-0.

“I feel like we’re bonding so good and we’re just assist after goal after assist after goal, it’s amazing,” White said regarding playing with Tapia.

Granby proceeded to slot seven more strikes before the final whistle was blown as McKenna Zumbruski, Bri-Anne Kraus, Kara White, Sophia Marsh and Sophia Wright (first varsity goal), joined Tapia and White, who each scored twice, in the goal-scoring department in the home win.

White revealed after the game that the majority of her points have come from finding the back of the net. The junior estimated that 80% of her total points have been earned via goals scored.

“I try to pass, but I swear my passes just never go where I want them to go,” White said.

Wednesday’s win improved the Rams’ record to 10-3-4 and further solidified its place atop the Division 5 girls soccer power rankings.

“I just think the maturity and the influx of some younger girls has brought the group together,” Weaver said on what separates this year’s team from prior rosters. “They really work well together. They’re unselfish. They’re moving the ball as well as we’ve had a team move the ball and they want more. They’re not satisfied.”

Granby will take on the winner of No. 4 Pioneer and No. 5 Palmer in the semifinal round later this week as its quest to repeat as Class D champions continues on.

“I’m so excited,” White said. “We’ve been improving and getting better and I’m excited at how far we’ll go.”