11/3/16
The Opening round of the District 4 2A Girls Soccer Tournament began on Saturday with 4 1st round matches. The winner’s will advance to the Semi-Finals while the losers drop into the consolation bracket. 3 teams will advance to the State Tournament.
We will update this story for the entire tournament so you can come back and see all the coverage in one post.
Link to District Tournament Bracket
District Championship
Columbia River 2, Tumwater 1
(Tumwater, WA) The battle for the District 4 Soccer Championship did not have the urgency that the 1st game of our double-header had since both Columbia River and Tumwater had qualified for the State Tournament while Ridgefield and Black Hills were playing a loser out contest. But don’t mistake lack of urgency with no desire to win. Tumwater officials could not remember the last time or if ever the T-Birds had ever won a District Championship and Columbia River, the new kids to the 2A ranks were ready to stake their claim and show they are the ones to beat.
The match got off to a slow start highlighted with booming kicks from CR’s Katie Anthony and Tumwater’s Kayce Smack. Both girls would be attractive to football teams looking for long distance field goal kickers if they weren’t playing soccer.
The T-Birds would break through in the 1st half with a nifty goal from Stephanie Moore in the 36th minute. Moore had the ball at the top of the box when a gap opened up along the left side of the goal when she fired a hard, low shot that slipped just inside the post giving Tumwater a 1-0 lead which they would take to halftime.
In the 2nd half it looked like the 1-0 score just might hold up until a quick 1-2 punch from the Chieftains. The 1st goal in the 66th was set up with a long booming free kick from Anthony that Ellie Walker got on it with a tremendous header past T-Bird keeper Cassie Mullin and the match was tied at 1-1.
The Chieftains didn’t take long to pull ahead just 3 minutes later in the 69th Ellie Walker would again strike with her head this time off a corner kick laid up by Katie Lee. As the ball approached Walker broke toward the goal and hammered it home for the eventual game winner.
The Chieftains clinched the #1 seed from the District into the State Tournament while the T-Birds will get the 2 seed. Both teams will get to host their opening round state play-off games. Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game went to Katie Anthony for Columbia River and Stephanie Moore for Tumwater. Our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game went to Ellie Walker’s game winning goal with the assist from Katie Lee.
Photo Gallery
Consolation Bracket
Hockinson 1, RA Long 0 (Loser Out)
Hockinson pulled out a tight win over league rival RA Long to stay alive for a shot at the State Tournament. The Hawks will play at Ridgefield on Saturday night at 7pm. Game story in the Daily News Click Here.
Ridgefield 5, Black Hills 1 (Loser Out)
(Tumwater, WA) The Ridgefield Spudders came in as the favorite over the Black Hills Wolves but the Wolves were ready for the challenge. Black Hills would strike first in the 15th minute when Megan Lowe broke free and fired a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced straight down behind the line and Spudders keeper Madalyn Chapman had no chance in defending it and Black Hills took a 1-0 lead.
Both teams then battled back and forth with great scoring opportunities for each team. Both keepers Chapman and the Wolves’ Devin Herbert came up big time and again. Both teams had shot just miss and go off the cross bar but Black Hills maintained their 1-0 until the 35th minute when Kara Klaus too a beautiful 1-touch pass from Taryn Ries and belted it to the far post and the match went to the half tied 1-1.
Just prior to the half Wolves keeper Herbert injured her wrist and would not finish the 1st half but did start the 2nd half but struggled with the injury. Ridgefield turned up the heat offensively in the 2nd half and took the lead for good in the 46th minute on an assist from Ries. The Spudders led 2-1.
Ridgefield would explode scoring 3 more goals in the 62dn, 65th and 67th minutes. Kara Klaus would score her 2nd goal to make it 3-1 followed by a beautiful unassisted goal for Taryn Ries. Kelsi Morris would finish off the scoring with a final goal off a corner kick from Annika Farley to make it 5-1.
The Spudders will host Hockinson at 7p on Saturday in a winner to state, loser out game. Black Hills had their season come to an end. Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game went to Ridgefield’s Kara Klaus and Black Hills’ Anna Zeldenrust. Our ProActive Play of the Game went to Kelsi Morris’s goal on the Annika Farley assist to cap the scoring.
Photo Gallery
Second Round
Winners Bracket
Columbia River 1, Hockinson 0
(Vancouver, WA) The Chietains got a big 2nd half goal after battling to a scoreless halftime and made it stand up for the win and clinched a state tournament berth. CR will play at Tumwater on Thursday for the District Championship. The Hawks drop into the consolation bracket and will take on RA Long in a loser out match on Thursday.
For Game coverage here’s the story from the Columbian’s Paul Valencia Click Here
Tumwater 3, Ridgefield 2
(Tumwater, WA) Tumwater Coach Brett Bartlett warned his team that the Spudders are an excellent team and play-off proven. Play-off soccer is faster and more physical while generally officials let a lot more go and play-on is a common command. This match was no different.
Tumwater jumped out to a quicl 1-0 lead when Bella Foos scored in the 2nd minute when she took a pass from Rillee Stillings from the top of the box, then sidestepped a defender and knocked it past the Spudders keeper Ellie McCann for a quick 1-0 lead. The 2 teams would make significant runs for the next 38 minutes but both McCann and Freshman T-Bird keeper Cassie Mullin held firm and Tumwater led at the break 1-0.
The 2nd half would begin much like the 1st half as Bella Foos struck again just 2 minutes into the half. Foos broke away to get into a 1-on-1 and she delivered. The Spudders did not panic and knew they had time to answer and they did so just 3 minutes later with the help of a free kick from just outside the box. Taryn Ries would take the shot and sent it right on frame but Mullins was there and punched the ball forward while diving forward, the ball had significant back spin and rolled right back at Mullins over her hands and across the line putting the Spudders on board and back in the game trailing 2-1.
The T-Birds would not allow the Spudders to tie the match and went back up by 2 in the 57th on a great shot from Stillings. Stillings took a short corner kick from MiKayla Kee and pounded it at the far post where it bounced off a defender and into the goal on a bang-bang play to put Tumwater up 3-1.
Ridgefield would not back down and answered in the 65th setting up a frantic final 15 minutes. Annika Farley fired from distance and Mullins just misplayed the shot and it got past her. The Spudders were back in business and plenty of time to punch in the equalizer.
The T-Bird back line led by Hallie Bergford and Kasey Smack were brick walls and cleared the ball from the attacking Ridgefield squad time and again. With less than 10-minutes to play the Spudders best chance to score was on a brilliant pass back from the near the endline from Kara Klaus who pass it in front of the goal with 3 on rushing team mates but the pass went between her team mates and the T-Birds cleared it. Tumwater protected their lead and were able to run out the string and claim the win.
The T-Birds clinched a trip to state and will play for the District Tournament Championship on Thursday at Tumwater District Stadium with a 7pm kick-off. Our Tommy Lowe of the Greene Realty Group Players of the Game went to Tumwarter’s Hallie Bergford and Ridgefield’s Taryn Ries. Our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game went to Tumwater’s Rillee Stillings goal shot that ended up being the game winner.
Photo Gallery
Consolation Bracket (Loser Out)
RA Long 4, Aberdeen 3 (Shoot-out 4-2)
(Aberdeen, WA) The Bobcats fell short pushing this match to a shoot-out and had their season come to an end. The Lumberjills survived and next will play against Hockinson on Thursday in a loser out contest.
Black Hills 3, Rochester 0
(Tumwater, WA) The Black Hills Wolves struck quickly in the 1st 90-seconds on a nice thru pass from Emma Lindsay to Megan Lowe who side stepped one defender and pounded the ball past the inside post for the goal. This gave the Wolves a quick advantage in this elimination game.
Sydney Lowe would give Black Hills some breathing room in the 30th minute on an unassisted goal and a 2-0 lead. Lowe would take the in-pass and would get herself into a 1-on-1 with the Warriors keeper Bella Phelps but Phelps could not deny the shot and that’s how it would go to the break.
In the 2nd half Sydney Lowe would make an incredible over the head flick shot past Phelps on a passing shot from Rachel Reuell in the 59th minute and the Wolves sealed this match away.
Rochester had their season come to an end while the Wolves will advance in the consolation bracket and must win 2 straight to get into the state tournament. They will play the loser of the Ridgefield vs Tumwater game.
Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game went to Sydney Lowe of Black Hills and to the Rochester Seniors. Our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game goes to Megan Lowe with the first goal off the assist of Emma Lindsay.
The Wolves will now host Ridgefield on Thursday at Tumwater District Stadium at 5pm in a loser out contest.
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Opening Round
Hockinson 1, Black Hills 0 (4-2 Shoot-out)
(Tumwater, WA) The Wolves as the 2nd seed from the Evco earned the right to host the opening round game but didn’t expect to have to play a co-champion from the GSHL but that’s what they got in Hockinson. The Hawks finished tied for 1st with Ridgefield and Columbia River, CR got the #1 seed and the Spudders #2 through their tie-breaker system either head-to-head or goal differential.
This opening round game was physical from the start and both teams made several runs on goal in the 1st half but neither team could find the back of the net. Both keepers, Jenna Telarico for Hockinson and Devin Herbert for the Wolves. The match would be scoreless at the half.
In the 2nd half the referee decided to tighten things up and issued several yellow cards which forced a less aggressive game on both sides. Despite that both teams had great chances to knock in a goal which would have been a game winner. Hockinson’s Trinity Paulsen drilled a shot in the 76th minute that slammed off the crossbar for the closest chance to score in regulation.
The scoreless tug-o-war would head to OT where the Hawks Natalie Johnson just missed with a high shot as well over the top of the goal. On the Wolves side Megan Lowe, Sydnie Lowe and Emma Lindsay all had early attacks that would be turned back and in the end this was going to be settled in a shootout.
The Hawks would shoot first and Alyssa Chapin fired to the right of Devin Herbert who blocked it by punching it in front of her but the ball had some back spin and rolled right over the hand of Herbert into the goal. Talarico would block the 1st two shooters and after 2 rounds it was 2-0 Hawks. Leading 3-2 heading into the 5th round where Allyson Findlay knocked on the clinching shot giving the Hawks a 1-0 win in a 4-2 shoot-out.
Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game went to Jenna Talarico of Hockinson and Julia Wojnar for Black Hills who was solid as a rock on the Wolves back line. Our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game went to Allyson Findlay with the clinching shot in the shoot-out.
Hockinson will next face Columbia River in the Semi-Finals on Tuesday at the Kiggins Bowl at 7pm. Black Hills will host Rochester at 5pm on Tuesday in a loser out contest.
Photo Gallery
Tumwater 2, RA Long 1
(Tumwater, WA) The Tumwater T-Birds had only given up 3 goals in all 10 league matches and that stingy defense continued with the strong back line of Kasey Smack, Devon Hess, Devon Hess and Sierra Snyder along with keeper Cassie Mullin. The lone goal this bunch would give up was on a late PK on fairly meek play and after the T-Birds had built a 2-0 lead.
The T-Birds jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 5 minutes into the match when Bella Foos hit an unassisted goal on a rebound off a Jills defender and tucked it just inside the post. Tumwater would several other chances to extend that lead in the first half but passes that just missed along with good keeper play from RA Long’s Khloe Snair kept the game within reach as they went to halftime.
In the 2nd half Tumwater again came out aggressive as the Jills back and midfield continued to struggle to clear the ball. However, the score remained 1-0 until the 63rd minute when Mikayla Kee laid up a corner kick and Rillee Stillings finished it off with a header into the net and the T-Birds took a 2-0 lead. This would take our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game.
The Jills made it interesting when Madelyn Wolff knocked home the PK in the 70th minute after a foul was called on Smack in the box. It appeared both Smack and RA Long’s McKinzie Todd both went after a loose ball and there was contact and in the referee’s eyes felt a penalty was committed.
Tumwater was able to control the final 10 minutes and closed out the 2-1 win. Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game were Tumwater’s Bella Foos and RA Long’s Madeline Wolff.
Tumwater is now 1 win away from qualifying for the State tournament and will host Ridgefield on Tuesday at 7pm. RA Long will battle Aberdeen in a loser out contest on Tuesday at 7p at a site still to be determined.
Photo Gallery
Ridgefield 9, Aberdeen 0
(Ridgefield, WA) The Spudders rolled against the Bobcats and advanced to the Semi-finals. Ridgefield will travel to Tumwater on Tuesday in a winner to state match. 7pm is kick-off. Aberdeen will play RA Long next in a loser out match at 7p, site is still to be determined.
Columbia River 5, Rochester 0
The Chieftains pitched the shut out and will get to host their Semi-final match with Hockinson on Tuesday at the Kiggins Bowl at 7pm. Rochester will face Black Hills on Tuesday at Tumwater District Stadium at 5pm in a loser out contest.
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