Lakeside loses 2-0 to Klahowa in 1A soccer semifinals
SHORELINE, Wash. – It all went sideways early for Lakeside in the girls State 1A soccer semifinals on Friday afternoon.
Playing the first of the two semis at Shoreline Stadium, Lakeside gave up two goals in the first 15 minutes and Klahowya made them stand up in a 2-0 victory. Klahowya will play King’s, a 1-0 winner over University Prep on Friday, for the 1A title today at 2 p.m.
Lakeside plays University Prep at 10 a.m. for third place.
“We have one last game this season,” Lakeside coach Chris Windham said. “We get to come out and try to get a win out of the weekend.”
Klahowya senior forward McKenzie Cook dictated play on the offensive end early. Her run down the right inside line of the 18-yard box created the match’s first goal.
Cook tapped the ball forward and caught up to it just off the end line. A quick cross found Danni Antoldi just inside the left post. Antoldi tapped it in for a 1-0 Klahowya lead with 31:35 to play in the first half.
“It’s funny in these state games,” Windham said. “You come out and attack, and can find yourself ahead in the first 10 minutes, or behind in the first 10 minutes. I think there were some nerves and we were hesitant is what happened today.”
Cook wasn’t finished.
She pounded a crossing pass into the box off a free kick from 25 yards with just over 25 minutes left in the half.
The ball was deflected by a Lakeside defender back, rather than forward, for an own goal. Klahowya had a 2-0 advantage at 25:05.
“We heard about (Cook),” Windham said. “We knew. The last two games we dealt with players similar to her and did very, very well. The speed of the turf today, she had a little more freedom and space.”
Just before halftime, Cook executed maybe her prettiest play of the half.
The senior took a corner kick from the left side and curled a ball into the top right corner for an apparent third goal, but the visiting Eagles were called for a foul on the play, keeping it 2-0.
It wasn’t until after intermission that Lakeside finally generated some offense, led by senior Callie Best.
At 29:47 of the second half, Best came within a yard of getting to a ball before Klahowya keeper Taylor Reuter wrapped herself around it 9 yards in front of the goal. It was so close, Best went tumbling over Reuter to the turf.
“The main thing, we’re so used to grass,” Best said. “This turf was pretty fast.”
Two minutes later, Best again was free in the 18-yard box, but only for a moment. She got a shot off, but it went right to Reuter at the left corner of the goal.
“It didn’t quite feel like our normal attack,” Best said. “Definitely, the goal is always to win a state championship. But getting to play together, having one last trip …”