A Pine Forest goalie, who was suspended for tackling an opponent, has yet to explain her action. As soccer fans were waiting for the last seconds of the match to wear out, goalkeeper Cassie Sturtz, who thought she was in the NFL, ran and tackled sophomore forward Riley Barrett, who stayed on the ground twisting in pain.
A Pine Forest goalie has been suspended for at least two games for a very unexpected action. On Thursday night, friends, family, and soccer lovers gathered in Southern Pines in Moore County, North Carolina to watch Pine Forest from Fayetteville take on Pinecrest from Southern Pines.
It was a very entertaining match where Pinecrest players, Grace Anne Longfellow scored two goals, Sophie Casey, and Caroline Howery added a goal apiece for a total of four goals. The game finished with the young ladies from Southern Pines winning with a score of 4-1. The loss is Pine Forest’s first of the season.
As the last seconds of the soccer game were winding down, sophomore forward Riley Barrett had the ball to her feet and was moving dangerously to the goal – what happened next is beyond strange. Pine Forest goalkeeper Cassie Sturtz made zero effort to stop the ball. Instead, she ran toward Barrett with a full tackle and took her down.
Barrett stayed on the ground, twisting and rolling in pain as her teammates rushed to her side. According to local media, many people at the event were heard expressing their frustration and anger at the goalie, but for some unknown reason, coaching staff, or the referees, who should have called for a red card, took no action on the play.
Hours after the video went viral, Bob Christina, Pinecrest Principal, said:
“I have contacted Pine Forest administrators and had been told that Sturtz had been suspended two games for a flagrant foul.”
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA)’s rules clearly state that the punishment for the foul is missing the team’s next two games. Christina added:
“I emailed the NCHSAA more information about the situation that they might want to take into consideration.”
LIFETIME BAN !! Biggest cheap shot ever in soccer. NO place for players like this. Have her join boys football and see what its like to get it
I agree suspend the player for life, there was no cause for this action.
There is actually a rule that involves the goalie being the only one allowed to do physical tackles. Now I believe you have to at least touch the ball. Without raising your knees up you can actually tackle people in soccer as a goalie. Its just not smart bc if u miss then its wide open net. Now this chick is just a violent girl, maybe having a rough time in life and being heated in the game makes rash decisions. life suspension is ridiculous to even mention. Although she should pay for any injuries sustained and I do support the two day suspension bc it wasn’t just a defensive move its was completely uncalled for. That also led someone to get hurt. idk what she was thinking.
You’re an asshat.
Banned for a year, at least. No contact with the team. This was a premeditated CHEAP SHOT. This should go on her permanent school record.
that is a smackdown, that golie is trump supporter
Female athletes are very often lesbians. Lesbians tend to support their own. Thus, she is likely a supporter of the harridan Hillary.
Only an idiot would bring politics into something like this!
And your a complete dumbass!
your a TRUM supporter call someone else dumb LOLLLLLLLLL
You’re a dumba$$ Mark. Figure out the difference between “your” and “you’re”
Arrest that person for battery. Suspend from all sports. Law suit time you little s—.
Play on girls……if Hope Solo did that to a Russian player we’d hear crickets from you fragile comment nazi’s. Play on!!
You complete moron, it is high school sports, you must be from texas
She was diving for the ball if you cant see she just misjudged the jump she dives at the ball not the player and to the writer of this fucking story man a quaterback THROWS THE DAMN BALL HE DOESN’T HIT ANYONE ITS THE DEFENSIVE LINE THE LINEBACKERS THE CORNERBACKS AND SAFETIES THAT HIT
YOU OBVIOUSLY NEVER PLAYED SPORTS. And recieved a cheap shot. pussy
That goalie is an animal! #CheapShot Terrible call by the linesman too! #NotOffside
The worst part of the whole thing is how onside she was, contrary to the terrible call by the linesman. You can see clearly that she ran past the defender after the ball was passed. Refs like that should be suspended For a minimum of two games. And it was a pretty dirty hit, but I beer they won’t try running up the score in the future.
The linesman had a flag up. No need to do anything. The keeper could have let the ball go into the goal. This further exacerbates the intent. Said keeper was getting even.
Let the girls go at it. They’ll get used to it when they marry each other.
Though the goalie didn’t realize it, this was a flagrant foul and unnecessary, not simply because the score was 4-1. The writer is incorrect when he writes that the forward was moving, with ball at foot, dangerously toward the goal. Review of the video reveals that the line judge signaled that the forward was off sides. Hence, even if the forward made it past the goalie and placed the ball in the back of the net, the goal would not have counted against the score. As for the draconian suggestions of punishment, with two (2) daughters who play travel for all boys teams, these things happen in sports. Though I agree that this should have been a red card, which usually leads to at least a one game suspension and do agree that suspension is in order, a ban should be based upon the actual injury. Haven’t you seen flagrant and obvious slide tackles, from behind or side, with no intent to even divert the ball, that could have led to ankle, knee, back or head injuries? If you believe that this is the biggest cheap shot in soccer, and while it may rank as one of the cheapest, you have not watched soccer from around the world. Toughen up citizens of America.
The goalie, Cassie Sturtz, should be arrested for assault, required to attend anger management and have a harsher punishment than a 2 game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct. She also should be banned from receiving any type of college scholarship. If the referee did not see that play, the referee should have his badge revoked. Just because its a playing field does not give a player the right to intentionally physically assault another player. Why is this bullying acceptable in girls soccer? If the player she tackeld got injured for life or died, would it still only require a two game suspension?
Terrible, tragic, obvious rule violation – that linesman should be banned. Looked on-side to me! Disgusting call!,
i what context ,can this lady be allowed to continue in sports,
she and her parents should have a heart to heart conversation ,
about sportsmanship they were losing for christ sakes
NOT THE END OF THE WORLD PEOPLE
If she didn’t leave another player in a coma or have brain damage later in life. But we will worry about that later after a soccer play.
And if your excuse is because they were losing, ….sore loser. Thats no reason to assault another player. Its part of playing a sport. You win some, you lose some.
…has yet to explain her action…
And why? Because there is no explanation for that unbelievably vicious assault. Not only that, but the punishment is like another assault on the injured player. A two-game suspension? A two-freaking-game suspension??!!? Complete dog-crap, that is.
“…who thought she was a quarterback.” I guess when you write about soccer you don’t know the positions and responsibilities of American football players. Quarterbacks play offense and throw and run the ball they don’t tackle. The correct analogy would have been “linebacker”.
Lighten up and give her a break she’s in high school. It was in the heat of the moment and a loss due to her allowing 4 goals. She will be penalized and hopefully learn from the experience and move on. One incident of poor judgment should not define or punish a person for life. On the positive side maybe the football coach took notice and she has an opportunity to play football next year.
How many of you have never done something stupid in high school, especially in a competitive moment playing sports, if you ever played competitive sports at all.
There is another video on hudl.com of this goalie doing the exact same tackle to another player on another team. This is a coaching issue when tactics that are being taught to purposely injure a player should be taken to a higher level of discipline. http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4785400/cassie-sturtz
Chris, thanks for the video link. Before seeing this I amounted the hit to frustration (still not condoned) and this was an isolated incident to vent frustration for getting what keepers call embarrassed for conceding 4 goals in a game. Obviously this is not the case. This game they played Grays Creek and won 7-0. Enjoying a win like that, there is no need for a hit like that to take out the player. The mannerism is exactly the same, take out the player, get up, and walk away without even checking on the person she hit. In the reel she did get taken out herself, but at least that player checked on her. It is a shame because she is a good keeper, I have personally seen her play against my niece’s varsity squad two days before this hit came out. People should not rag out the coach, I know him personally and is a good person and coach, I know he does not condone this type of flagrant play from his players, I am sure he will do what is right to rectify the manner of play that his keeper has been recorded doing. I am not taking up for Pine Forest HS, its administration, its coach or Sturtz nor for Pinecrest HS, I know the talent level for both teams for boys and girls varsity squads, some of our varsity girls play with players for BOTH schools in their travel club teams. Fortunately Riley is not hurt seriously (and even the Grays Creek player in the other video for that matter)and I know the right thing will be done.
Unfortunately, those two hits that are recorded could otherwise jeopardize her chances to play at the next level in college because everyone can remember the great saves but once you make the dirty hit (twice) is like conceding the only goal in the World Cup final, you will always be remembered for that and not the great saves that got you there. Same applies here, I would not be surprised that college coaches are scratching her name off their recruiting lists now.
“Cassie Sturtz, who thought she was a quarterback, ran and tackled…”
Whoever wrote this should read up on the duties generally associated with each position on a football team. They may be surprised to learn that quarterbacks play on offense and rarely, if ever, are required to tackle opposing players. The more you know…
just a reflection of the ghetto culture,that permeates throughout our culture.has nothing to do with politics,indoctrinated morons.
I’ve played goalie before and the simple play would have been to clear the ball with the foot as the ball was out 5-feet in front of the striker. She wasn’t even looking at the ball. You take out the player when you are otherwise beat, which was not the case. It was a simple clearout. It’s like tackling someone when the ball is on the other side of the field, a simple assault.
She needs anger management classes. She could have seriously injured this player. The player did not expect the hit as the most obvious play would have been to clear the ball. The most dangerous situation is always a cold-cocked hit where the other player is not expecting the other player to do something which is not rational. When you are expecting a hit your body is prepared for it and knows how to fall/react. This was just an assualt. In football, it is legal to tackle so you are expecting it. Mandatory anger management classes and counseling, come back next season with better perspective.
Thank you Dan .. at least one voice or rational reason amongst the noise and yap.
The Linesman should be sanctioned for 1) badly missing the onside play and flagging it offside (2 game suspension), and 2)not issuing the red flag on the flagrant unsportsmanlike hit (6 game suspension). Maybe youth officiating across the board would take note and try harder (improve) in the future.
As for the goalie, for willfully attempting to injure an unsuspecting and unprotected opponent = bar for life. WAKE UP PEOPLE – This isn’t political or social or homosexual so keep your stupid bias’ and biogotry buried until you socially mature … ingrates!
Nice hit!
Are you insane? She wasn’t playing football you moron. If I was Riley, when I got better I’d go beat Cassie to within an inch of her life.
What a horrible person. Cheater!
get her to the NFL NOW.
Well, she just blew all her chances for playing college or professional soccer. If I were the parents of the girl that was injured, I’d sue everyone involved. The goalies family and the school. Plus the goalie should be banned from ALL NCAA sports for life. Kids think there are no repercussions to their actions, someone needs to show them they’re wrong.
If Cassie had done the same thing outside the game, as in everyday real life, she’d be in jail right now, charged with assault and battery.
Y’all calm down. She was just imitating Vontaze Burfict.
Nothing less than being banned from playing again will be accepted. That could be considered assault with intent to do bodily harm. She made absolutely no effort to go for the ball.
ABSOLUTELY UNCALLED FOR!!! My daughter plays club, tournament and school soccer at U14.. and i have (NEVER!) seen anything of this nature, on top of this… in all of the matches i have ever been to and have ever seen on TV, i have never seen this type of action in soccer! I am absolutely taken back at ANY of you who have defended this action! This is not soccer and should NEVER be allowed at any level! This would have been red carded anywhere in the world and this goalie would have been far more than suspended from any team… anywhere! I would have gone ballistic if my girl had been the one to take the horrific hit! and as for ‘Robert’… “(toughen up American citizens)….. you are EXACTLY the reason why humanity, today, looks like we have barely escaped neanderthals! Funny a race of mammals, capable of reaching space and beyond can act like a bunch of monkeys! BAN her before she kills a poor soul who love the game for what it should be!
and furthermore…. this is NOT soccer! This is barely condoned in the NFL! This hit was with utter intent of malice and any TRUE SPORTSMAN… in any of the top level sports, with any dignity at all, would not condone this action, particularly at this level, let alone any level! This coach should be banned from sports, for life, if he had any knowledge that this action was even a fraction of a possibility! What a great way to mar a wonderful sport!
notice one of the girls seemed happy about the outcome. team members will laugh about this for years. that is truely a sad thing
What a coward. Worst of all seems that the refs are cowards themselves to not give Cassie Sturtz a life time ban from the sport. Not only is she a bad goalie according to her stats, she is a bad person. She doesn’t apologize, and even laughs off her suspension.