MARYSVILLE — Marysville-Pilchuck’s defender Abbi Koehn and midfielder Cassie LaBrake signed their letters of intent to play soccer for Trinity Lutheran College in Everett.

The two have played all four years together, but are now thrilled to play for the same college team.

“We’ve been best friends since the eighth grade, and I get to play four more years with her,” Koehn said.

Koehn looked into Trinity first because she wanted to go to a school close to home. She then enticed LaBrake to join her as did Trinity’s soccer coach Tim Colvin.

“I was going to go to community college, but Tim reached out to me when I thought I wasn’t capable of playing for a four year,” LaBrake said. “I’ve thought I’d be stuck playing at the high school level, but now I get to play in college.”

Both feel ready to play at the NAIA level.

M-P soccer coach Paul “Bartley has made me come out of my shell and become a better player,” Koehn said. “He taught me to play with my head up.”

LaBrake brings work ethic and a competitive edge to her game.

“I’ve gone against older girls,” LaBrake said. “The competition has been harder, and I was able to learn more skills from more competitive opponents.”

LaBrake was sidelined by a back injury caused by scoliosis in 2012, but she came back to make the varsity team her junior and senior years.

“She came to outdoor practice one day and motivated the kids like, ‘I can’t believe she’s out here,'” Bartley said. “She is the most driven individual I have ever seen.”

Bartley said both girls will bring a unique talent and leadership to Trinity’s soccer program. They were both team captains and were elected as Wesco first team all conference their senior year.

“Abbi covers a lot of ground well with her speed and reads the game well,” Bartley said. “I definitely look forward to watching them play.”

On top of playing soccer, Koehn will study psychology or early childhood education, LaBrake also wants to study early childhood education.