Eagles earn historic win

West Valley soccer coach Shelli Totton couldn’t look as her Eagles stared at a 2-0 penalty kick shootout deficit against visiting East Valley of Yakima.

With three shooters to go, the Eagles’ State 2A future was in jeopardy. But on this particular Tuesday, Great Northern League girls soccer history was made.

The Eagles somehow rallied for a 2-1 victory while Cheney was winning 4-0 in Selah, giving the GNL its first state victories. WV will host the Blackhawks next and one of the two will advance to the final four Nov. 17 and 18 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.

Totton was first to admit prospects of a second round state game weren’t looking good as the shootout unfolded.

“I had my back to it,” she said. “Sometimes I can’t watch because I get too nervous. I thought it was over, I really did.”

Then three Red Devils players missed point blank attempts against freshman goalkeeper Karina Carpenter.

Following each miss, Eagles Krystal McCarthy, then DeeDee Garbe and finally Haley Bauman scored.

Bauman’s game-deciding goal was drilled into the right side of the net. The other two converted theirs to the left.

“I know what I’m going to do before I do it,” said senior midfielder Bauman. “She (EV keeper Jessica Licea) seemed to be moving that way every time, but I try to place it.”

Miraculously, the day-long rain during this week’s windy and unseasonably warm weather abated long enough for players and fans to stay dry during the match.

The Eagles got an early break when Laura Estey’s crossing pass into the middle hit off of an EV player and took a crazy bounce high over Licea less than three minutes into the contest.

Thereafter, defenses on both sides kept their opponents at bay until one EV flurry with eight minutes left in the first half.

Carpenter punched a shot attempt back out front from her goal, only to have EV’s Renee Cuiller boot it right back through a crowd and into the net.

The score remained 1-1 throughout the remainder of regulation and two five minute overtimes. That sent it to the shootout.

East Valley made its first two penalty kicks while the Eagles had one shot bounce off the goal crossbar and the other was stopped by Licea. Carpenter also had a save and two other Red Devils shots shoved wide of the goal. WV took advantage.

Carpenter had a dozen saves in the game including one after she had come far out of the box, but scurried back to snag a long shot by Arianna Mohsenian.

“I should thank my track coach for teaching me how to sprint hard,” Carpenter said.

Totton had high praise for one of two WV freshman standouts.

“Karina is very poised, confident and strong,” said WV’s coach. “She’s really kept us in a lot of games. She knows how to play the position very, very well.”

Cheney 4, Selah 0: The quicker Blackhawks made quick work of their first-time state tournament qualifying hosts. They scored 14 minutes into the match on a goal by Kaitlyn Proctor and were ahead 3-0 by halftime.

Amanda Swenson scored twice, once when she jumped over Selah goalkeeper Joni Moss and found open net at the 35-minute mark.

Molly McClure scored the other goal three minutes later and assisted on Swenson’s second-half goal.