Regular seasons are in the past and local soccer teams are in the postseason hunt, all chasing a berth in one of the 16-team state tournaments. It was a stellar season on the pitch, as all the local squads placed either first or second in their leagues.
Here’s where things stand with the four local programs.
WHITE RIVER
The Hornets, by virtue of a spectacular regular season, earned a first-round bye in the West Central District 2A soccer tournament.
The week-long affair, with all games staged at Franklin Pierce High School, will send its top five finishers to the 16-team Class 2A state tournament.
White River’s first game was Tuesday night against the Port Angeles Roughriders. The winner is guaranteed a berth in the state tourney, playing again on Saturday for seeding purposes only. If White River fell to the ‘Riders, the Hornets will play again on Thursday in a loser-out contest.
White River entered postseason play after finishing the regular season with a 15-0 record. The team registered 10 shutouts and allowed only seven goals during the 15-game slate.
As the Mountain Division champion, the Hornets hosted the Sound Division champs from Orting on Oct. 25 to determine the SPSL’s No. 1 seed. White River was a 5-0 winner, receiving two goals each from Annabelle Hall and Emma Robbins, along with a single tally by Chloe Narolski.
BONNEY LAKE
With a successful regular season in the rear-view mirror, the Panthers prowl into postseason play Nov. 4 needing just a single victory to land in the Class 3A state tournament.
Bonney Lake finished with an impressive 12-2 mark in Pierce County League play, trailing only the Stadium Tigers. That was good for second place, which brought an opening-round bye in the West Central District tournament.
The Panthers’ tourney opener is set for 2 p.m. Nov. 4 against Central Kitsap, the No. 3 squad from the South Sound Conference. The game, to be played at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood, is a loser-out contest, with the winner taking the district’s No. 5 seed into the state tourney.
ENUMCLAW
Entering as the No. 1 seed from the North Puget Sound League, the Hornets launch into the West Central/Southwest District tournament Thursday evening.
The Hornets open their postseason experience with a 7:30 p.m. contest at Curtis High School in University Place. Enumclaw will take on either Rogers or Kentlake; those two faced off Tuesday night in a loser-out tussle.
Enumclaw’s Thursday game also is a loser-out affair, but the payoff for the winner is a berth in the 16-team Class 4A state tournament. If EHS wins Thursday, the next game would be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ingersoll Stadium in Olympia.
The Hornets entered postseason play as champions of the NPSL’s Olympic Division. Enumclaw took the title by posting a division record of 11-2-1.
SUMNER
The Spartans opened West Central/Southwest District tournament play Tuesday evening with a game against the Tahoma Bears. The loser was done for the year, while the winner advances to play again at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Sparks Stadium in downtown Puyallup, against either Bellarmine Prep or Auburn Mountainview.
Thursday’s winner is assured of one of the district’s seven berths into the state Class 4A state tournament. Thursday’s loser gets a second shot at keeping its season alive, playing at noon Saturday in a loser-out, winner-to-state game, again at Sparks Stadium.
The Spartans entered postseason play after finishing second in the South Puget Sound League 4A with an 11-3-2 record.
