A trio of local soccer teams are in the spotlight this week, having qualified for the Class 4A, 3A and 2A state tournaments.
Details are updated following each game. Full brackets are maintained on the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s website (wiaa.com); click “Brackets” under the “Tournaments” menu.
BONNEY LAKE
The Bonney Lake girls find themselves as one of just 16 teams from the Class 3A ranks still playing soccer.
The state tournament kicks off this week and the Panthers are paired against Mercer Island in the first round; the game begins at 7 p.m. at Mercer Island High School. The 3A tourney will continue through the Nov. 17 championship finale.
The Bonney Lake squad will be looking to reverse a rare two-game skid when they head into state play.
Playing Nov. 3 for the district’s No. 3/4 seed to state, the Panthers were blanked 4-0 by Stadium High. They had hit their first postseason bump Nov. 1 when they fell 2-1 to the Prairie High Plainsmen in the semifinal round of the district tournament.
Against Prairie – a Vancouver-area school – the teams had initially battled to a 1-1 draw, requiring a shootout.
The Bonney Lake girls had assured themselves of a trip to the state Class 3A tournament back on Oct. 30, when they defeated North Thurston 5-1.
The visiting Rams scored just three minutes into the contest, which served as “a wake-up call,” according to coach Wayne Farris.
For the Panthers, Serena Cacciatore answered with a goal at the 5-minute mark and Summer Kober made it 2-1 with a goal at 28 minutes. Cacciatore scored her second goal of the night early in the second half and Kaylee Coatney padded the Panther lead with goals at 69 and 74 minutes.
Bonney Lake outshot the Rams 17-3 and was boosted by solid defensive play from Payton Schelin, Edie Markquart and Tanah Huffines.
SUMNER
The Sumner Spartans have qualified for the Class 4A state soccer tournament, and will take on Spokane’s Gonzaga Prep in the opening round. Details for the game had not been announced as of Monday morning.
The Spartans had survived a first-round, loser-out contest when they defeated Auburn Mountainview 1-0 on Nov. 1. That victory pushed Sumner into the 16-team state tourney and a Saturday game with Bellarmine Prep to determine seeding.
That Nov. 3 contest was staged at Ingersoll Stadium in Olympia and saw the Spartans emerge on the short end of a 2-1 score.
WHITE RIVER
The White River girls will open the Class 2A state soccer tournament against Liberty High. Details for the opening round had not been posted as of Monday morning.
White River made it to state as the No. 5 seed from its district tournament. That was determined Nov. 3 when the Hornets slipped past the Lindbergh Eagles 1-0.
White River had locked up its 2A state berth Nov. 1 with a 1-0 victory over Port Angeles. The victory over the Roughriders came on the turf at Franklin Pierce High School, as did Saturday’s game.
The Hornets had opened district play Oct. 30 with one of the toughest losses possible, a double-overtime, 2-1 setback at the hands of the Sequim Wolves.
White River entered the West Central District tournament as the No. 1 seed from the South Puget Sound League, having captured the regular-season championship.
ENUMCLAW
The Enumclaw girls saw their season come to a close the evening of Oct. 30, losing to Olympia High in the most dramatic fashion possible.
The Hornets and Bears deadlocked at one goal apiece, requiring a shootout. Olympia had a decided advantage in that department, winding up on the winning side of a 2-1 score.
While the Bears won two more and advanced as the district’s No. 1 seed to state, the Enumclaw squad was bounced from postseason competition.
The Oct 30 contest saw Olympia crack the scoreboard first, courtesy of a goal by Lauren Forster at the 49-minute mark. Enumclaw answered in the 62nd minute with a goal by Rén Olson, assisted by Mia Ammons.
The EHS girls had finished North Puget Sound League Olympic Division play with a record of 6-7-1 and had entered the West Central/Southwest District tourney as the No 10 seed.
