The Wenatchee girls soccer team is hoping the fourth time is the charm. After three straight early exits from the Class 4A state tournament, the No. 6-seeded Panthers feel like this could be their year to finally break through.
“This draw was the best-case scenario for us,” said coach Ashton Kirkpatrick, whose team will host Mead on Wednesday at 6 p.m. “The first round has been a big obstacle for us, and we feel like we can get through this year by playing at home against a team we’ve already seen.”
The 1-0 shootout win over Mead on Sept. 13 technically counted as a tie in the standings, but Kirkpatrick and her players know in their hearts that they prevailed.
She hopes playing in the Apple Bowl this time around will be enough to get her team over the hump after falling to three highly seeded teams on the road the past few seasons.
“It will be a good matchup, but we proved to ourselves that we can beat them,” Kirkpatrick said. “That gives us a lot of confidence going in.
The Panthers (15-1-1 overall) have won five in a row after dropping their only game of the season at West Valley on Oct. 14. While they didn’t play their best game that night, Kirkpatrick admitted that the midseason setback ended up helping her players refocus.
“We hadn’t lost a Big Nine game in two years, and that was the wakeup call we needed,” she said. “From that point on, we have absolutely dominated. It kind of flipped a switch in the girls’ brains and we ended up outscoring our opponents 18-2 down the stretch.”
The Panthers are led by junior co-captains Berkeley Boles (16 goals, 14 assists) and Logan Grosdidier (10 goals, 12 assists). Freshman Kam Garcia has also stepped up her game of late, racking up 10 goals and four assists. Another freshman, goalkeeper Aly Adan, has recorded seven shutouts for the four-time defending CBBN district champs.
Kirkpatrick believes her players are peaking at the right time and they are poised to take the next step — and, hopefully, a few more after that.
“We have a much better mindset going in than we’ve had the past couple of years,” she said. “We’ve been trying to create a culture where we’re not just working toward a district championship; we want to win a state championship. And I feel like, this year, our speed and our style will give us a fighting chance.”
CLASS 4A
No. 11 Mead (10-3-6) vs. No. 6 Wenatchee (15-1-1)
Time, site: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Apple Bowl in Wenatchee.
What’s at stake: Spot in Class 4A quarterfinals.
What to know: Wenatchee has lost on the road in the first round of state the past two seasons and hopes to advance this year playing on its home field.
Who has the edge: The Panthers from Wenatchee beat the Panthers from Mead in a shootout during the preseason in a game that counted as a tie in the standings.
No. 16 Moses Lake (10-6-1) vs. No. 1 Issaquah (16-1-1)
Time, site: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Issaquah High School.
What’s at stake: Spot in Class 4A quarterfinals.
What to know: Top-seeded Issaquah has won eight games in a row, including the KingCo district championship game over Skyline last Saturday. Moses Lake has won three loser-out games in a row and hopes to play spoiler.
Who has the edge: The Eagles have outscored their last eight opponents 19-3 and will be tough to beat on their home field.
CLASS 2A
No. 9 Steilacoom (14-3) at No. 8 East Valley (17-1-1)
Time, site: 5 p.m. Wednesday, Earl Barden Sr. Field in Yakima.
What’s at stake: Spot in Class 2A quarterfinals.
What to know: Steilacoom had won 10 of its past 11 matches before falling to Bainbridge 3-1 in the South Puget Sound League final on Saturday. East Valley is riding a 10-game winning streak and features one of the top goal-scorers in the state in Ariana Lopez.
Who has the edge: The Red Devils haven’t lost on their home field this season, but Steilacoom played a tough schedule in the SPSL and should provide a worthy challenge.
No. 13 Selah (12-6) vs. No. 4 Bainbridge (18-1)
Time, site: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Bainbridge High School.
What’s at stake: Spot in Class 2A quarterfinals.
What to know: Selah has had moments of brilliance this season, handing district champion East Valley its only loss of the season, but the young Vikings have been inconsistent at times. Bainbridge is riding a 10-game winning streak and has outscored its opponents 47-3 since the start of October.
Who has the edge: It’s hard to bet against the high-scoring Spartans on their home field, but Selah is riding the momentum of two straight loser-out victories to return to state after missing out last year.
No. 14 Ellensburg (10-8) vs. No. 3 Sehome (18-0-1)
Time, site: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Civic Field in Bellingham.
What’s at stake: Spot in Class 2A quarterfinals.
What to know: Northwest League champion Sehome has not lost this season and has recorded 15 shutouts along the way. Ellensburg has been playing well of late, reaching the CWAC district championship game and battling top-seeded East Valley to the bitter end.
Who has the edge: The Mariners are an offensive juggernaut and also don’t give up many goals. The Bulldogs will be hard-pressed to knock them off after a long road trip.
CLASS 1A
No. 15 Wahluke (13-7) vs. No. 2 Seton Catholic (18-0-1)
Time, site: 5 p.m. Wednesday, Seton Catholic High School in Vancouver.
What’s at stake: Spot in Class 1A quarterfinals.
What to know: The Trico League champion Cougars are riding an 18-game winning streak after tying West Seattle in their season opener. Wahluke has won six in a row, including three consecutive loser-out games.
Who has the edge: Seton Catholic reached the 1A state semifinals last year and is hoping to finish the job this year. The Warriors may end up being collateral damage.
No. 12 Tenino (13-4-2) vs. No. 5 Cashmere (18-2)
Time, site: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Cashmere Soccer Field.
What’s at stake: Spot in Class 1A quarterfinals.
What to know: Cashmere has responded in a big way after falling to league rival Naches Valley at home in mid-October. The Bulldogs have now won six in a row, including a 1-0 win over the Rangers in the SCAC title game. Tenino has won five of its past six and posted 10 shutouts this season.
Who has the edge: 2024 semifinalist Cashmere is on a mission to get back to the final four this season, and the loss to Naches last month gave the Bulldogs all the motivation they needed.
No. 9 Bellevue Christian (8-4-2) vs. No. 8 Naches Valley (16-2-1)
Time, site: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Naches Valley High School.
What’s at stake: Spot in Class 1A quarterfinals.
What to know: Naches Valley had won 13 in a row before falling to Cashmere 1-0 in the SCAC district title game last Saturday. Sophomore Emmaria Mendoza led a prolific Rangers offense with 35 goals.
Who has the edge: The young Rangers are looking to reach the second round of state after qualifying for the first time since 2016 last season. Bellevue Christian is a different team than last year’s 1A semifinal squad, but the seasoned Vikings know how to win on the road. This one looks like a toss-up. The winner will play top-seeded Cedar Park Christian of Bothell, which was a 9-1 winner Tuesday against Blaine.
