The Kentridge girls soccer team has been all tied up with no place to go the last several years.
Playoffs? The Chargers have qualified for the postseason just once since 2005. But it hasn’t been for a lack of success. In fact, Kentridge has posted a near .500 South Puget Sound League North Division record (21 wins and 22 losses) during the last four years.
Ties, however, have been the program’s ultimate Achilles heel. Kentridge has 15 of ’em during that same four-year span and has finished either first or second in that category in each of the last four years.
As the Chargers braced for their season opener this past Tuesday against Auburn, finding a way to win those close games remained crucial, especially for a bunch expected to enjoy a solid breakthrough this fall. The Chargers managed to open with a close win as well, knocking off the Trojans 1-0 thanks to a goal in the 16th minute from Jessica Hendricks.
“We’ve got to be consistent. We have to be able to put games away,” coach John Gavino said. “They need the confidence to be able to put teams away.”
In a loaded SPSL North, the Chargers certainly appear on paper to have the talent necessary to put many of those ties into the win column. Kentridge brings back a North Division-high eight returners, three of whom – Megan Harader, Kayla Berg and Taylor Hayes – earned either first- or second-team all-league accolades a year ago.
Add in returning starters Krystal Daniels (goalkeeper), Molly Shiroishi (midfielder), Shelby Delacruz (midfielder) and Emily Hanna (midfielder), and there’s plenty of reason for the Chargers to be optimistic.
“They’re very talented,” Gavino said. “It’s just the team chemistry that they’ve been missing the last several seasons. I think they’ve got this year.”
Freshman defender Shayann Glasser, who plays select soccer outside of high school, simply adds to that wealth of talent.
“She is very solid, is well rounded, speedy and quick,” Gavino said.
Kentridge hasn’t finished higher than third place in the SPSL North since 2004, when it took second.
That could change for the better this fall.
“They’re dangerous,” Kentwood coach Aaron Radford said. “I think we’re going to see the biggest (move up the standings) from Kentridge this year.”
All it’s going to take is turning some of those excess ties into wins, something Gavino sees as a strong possibility.
“Our expectations is to make the playoffs,” he said.
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