State roundup: Mt. Spokane girls soccer falls in semifinal; Freeman advances to first state championship

PUYALLUP, Wash. – Sometimes, despite proper planning, training and the best of intentions, the ball just doesn’t bounce your way.

So it was for Mt. Spokane girls soccer, as an own goal late in the second half proved to be the difference in a 1-0 loss to fifth-seeded Seattle Prep in a State 3A semifinal at Sparks Stadium on Friday.

The eighth-seeded Wildcats will face second-seeded Bellevue, which was undone by a golden goal in overtime in its semifinal matchup against third-seeded Roosevelt, in the State 3A third-place game on Saturday.

It’s the first time since 2012 Mt. Spokane has reached a girls soccer final four.

“Really proud of the girls, really proud of their effort, their resilience, their togetherness, those things cannot be taken away. Those things do not rely on results,” Mt. Spokane coach Michael Pellicio said. “Our whole point this year was that we want to inspire. I feel like we’re doing that to people in our community, to ourselves. These girls inspire me regularly. So not the best day for us, but it’s just a result of a sports game. The girls can’t possibly be upset about this season.”

With less than 10 minutes left in regulation in a scoreless tie, Seattle Prep sent a crossing pass into the box. Attacker Zoey Nelson got a foot on it but without much power, and Wildcats defender Laine Gardner tried to clear it. But the ball skidded on the wet playing surface and she redirected it past goalie Kenzie Shuler, who was moving laterally to collect the original volley.

“Laine did everything she’s supposed to do,” Pellicio said. “She fielded the cross, and in these slick conditions it went into the goal. I’ve said this many times – mostly because I’ve scored a lot of own goals – only good players score own goals. You’re making a play on the ball in the box.”

A final shot during stoppage time by senior midfielder Dakota Hansen sailed just wide left.

“What a phenomenal goal that would have been,” Pellicio said. “And it was out of sure will. She was doing everything right in terms of tracking the ball down, getting past a player, hitting it with her least-favorite foot. What a goal that would have been.”

It’s the first time Mt. Spokane has lost in regulation this season.

“We worked the whole game, and it was just unfortunate series of events,” senior Hadley Teed said. “We can’t really do anything about it now, but we can go get third place tomorrow.”

Columbia River 1, West Valley 0 (SO): Goalkeeper Ruby Ayers made three saves in a six-round shootout and the third-seeded Rapids (20-2) beat the second-seeded Eagles (20-1-1) in a State 2A semifinal at Mount Tahoma HS.

Ayers made five saves in regulation to help the Rapids reach overtime.

Columbia River junior Allie Wikstrom buried the decisive last kick for the Rapids. 

West Valley plays Bellingham in the third-place game on Saturday at 12:15 p.m.

Freeman 8, Northwest Christian 0: Freshman Nora Gass scored three goals and the top-seeded Scotties (20-0) beat the fourth-seeded Crusaders (15-4-1) in an all-Northeast 2B state semifinal at Memorial Stadium in Federal Way.

“We put it all on the field tonight, we did our very best.” Gass said. 

Kelsey Hollen had seven saves for Freeman, which advanced to play in the state championship game against sixth-seeded Mount Vernon Christian on Saturday at 3:15 p.m.

“This is a reflection of a lot of hard work for these girls.” Freeman coach Dave Ellis said. “This is a goal they set earlier in the year. This is where they wanted to go.”  

The Scotties have dealt Northwest Christian each of its four losses this season – including two in the regular season and once in the District 6 2B/1B championship game. 

Junior Rylee Russell added two goals and two assists.

“I think every single one of my teammates deserves this,” Russell added. “I truly believe in hard work pays off.”

NWC plays second-seeded Crosspoint Christian in the third-place game.

—Lane Mathews contributed to this report

Volleyball

Top-seeded Ridgeline and sixth-seeded Mt. Spokane both advanced to the semifinals in the State 3A tournament at Yakima Valley SunDome. 

The Falcons swept eighth-seeded Liberty (Renton) 25-21, 25-10, 25-18 after dispatching 16th-seeded Bishop Blanchet in straight sets 31-29, 25-16, 25-18 in their opening round match. 

Ridgeline faces fifth-seeded Seattle Prep in a semi at noon on Saturday, searching for its first state title. 

Mt. Spokane, no stranger to the state bracket limelight, beat third-seeded Prairie in four sets14-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-23 in its quarterfinal after outlasting 11th-seeded Timberline in five sets 25-20, 25-22, 18-25, 18-25, 18-16. 

The Wildcats, the 2018 and ‘19 state champs, take on second-seeded North Thurston at noon in a semi.

4A: Mead won’t compete in its fourth straight title match but stayed alive in its quest to bring home hardware in its first season back in 4A.

Romy Tyler had nine kills and the 14th-seeded Panthers (10-8) eliminated 11th-seeded Skyline (14-14-2) in straight sets 25-15, 25-16, 25-13 in a State 4A loser-out match at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

The Panthers face Eastlake in an elimination match Saturday at 8 a.m. in an effort to reach the seventh-place match later in the day. Mead fell to Kennedy Catholic in four sets 17-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-20 in a first-round match.