First came the kick, and then came the block.<\/p>\n
What followed on a frigid Saturday night at Harry E. Lang Stadium in Lakewood was a historic, long-awaited celebration for the Kentwood High girls soccer team.<\/p>\n
The Conquerors\u2019 Madison Fuller delivered the pivotal shootout goal, which deflected off the arm of Tahoma goalkeeper Amber Woolcock to set up the victory. Moments later, Kentwood goalkeeper Courtney Johnson provided a breathtaking diving block, helping the No. 4 Conquerors secure their first-ever Class 4A state title with a 1-0 shootout victory over the third-ranked Bears.<\/p>\n
After making the save, Johnson was rushed by the entire Kentwood roster. The mob on the field quickly quadrupled in size as the entire Kentwood student section followed its team onto the turf in celebration.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I love shootouts,\u201d Johnson said moments later while whipping away tears of joy. \u201cI have fun with them. The pressure is on the kicker, not me. So if I come up with a save, it\u2019s huge. Luckily, I came up with three tonight, and it changed the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt got us the state championship.\u201d<\/p>\n
But certainly not by much.<\/p>\n
In the Bears (20-2-0), the Conquerors (18-3-1) knocked off what has become their biggest \u2013 and closest in proximity \u2013 rival. Tahoma won its second consecutive South Puget Sound League North Division title and knocked off No. 1 nationally ranked Skyline 1-0 in the semifinals to advance to the championship game.<\/p>\n
No doubt, the fact that Saturday night\u2019s showdown led to a shootout \u2013 after two five-minute overtime periods \u2013 was no surprise. But that didn\u2019t make the loss any easier to swallow, Tahoma\u2019s Woolcock admitted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no one I would rather beat more than Skyline and then Kentwood,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
On a dive to her left, Woolcock got an arm on Fuller\u2019s attempt, which had just enough momentum to deflect into the back corner of the net.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, we had a piece of paper that had the way the (Kentwood) shooters were going, and I relied on it, and that was my mistake,\u201d Woolcock said.<\/p>\n
It was the only mistake Woolcock would make all night.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was nervous going up and taking that hit,\u201d Fuller admitted. \u201cI was thinking, \u2018It\u2019s just like practice with Courtney in the goal, I am going to make this. When (Woolcock) hit it, I was hoping it was going in because (during the semifinals a night earlier) I hit the post and it went in just barely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kentwood outscored Tahoma 5-4 in the shootout. The Conquerors came into the season with a 0-3 overall record in shootouts. Compounding that number, however, is the fact that in the SPSL teams only play to a tie instead of turning to the tie-breaking format.<\/p>\n
During the postseason, Kentwood\u2019s run of bad luck in shootouts did a complete turnaround.<\/p>\n
At the district tournament, Kentwood knocked off South Kitsap 2-1 in a shootout to earn its sixth straight state playoff berth. The Conquerors continued that trend in the state semifinals, beating Skyview 2-1 in a shootout.<\/p>\n
Then, of course, came the title clincher.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we won (against South Kitsap) to put us into state, I thought, \u2018OK, maybe our luck is changing. We got our win, so let\u2019s move on,\u2019\u201d said Kentwood coach Aaron Radford.<\/p>\n
The Conquerors had little time to move on Saturday night in a physical match that has come to signify the showdown between the two teams. The Bears controlled the tempo in the first half, but were unable take advantage. An aggressive game turned increasingly physical as time ticked down on the clock in the second half. Kentwood lost junior forward Mykala Benjamin to a knee injury and junior defender Sara Bindl to a head injury in the second half. Both injuries came after hard collisions between opponents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen players go at it hard wanting to fight over the same ball, there\u2019s always a player who is late \u2026 fouls happen,\u201d Radford said. \u201cIt\u2019s just the way the game plays out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neither team was able to gain momentum for more than sparse minutes at a time during the second half, much due to tenacious defense on both accounts. Each team managed nine shots on goal during the final 40 minutes of regulation and 10 minutes of overtime.<\/p>\n
Johnson made a pair of dazzling diving stops in the final 50 minutes of play. Woolcock matched her Kentwood counterpart step for step.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s heartbreaking,\u201d said Tahoma coach Jason Johnson about the loss. \u201cI can\u2019t say enough about (the defense). They\u2019ve done it all year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kentwood ended the season on a 12-game winning streak. Playing Tahoma for the title took a little pressure off, and allowed for some familiarity, Kentwood\u2019s Johnson noted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt might have given us a little more confidence because we knew we could beat them,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we also knew that they could beat us.\u201d<\/p>\n
History would indicate as much.<\/p>\n
The Conquerors came into the night with a 5-2-3 advantage over the Bears dating back to 2006. Adding fuel to the rivalry, however, is the fact that Kentwood and Tahoma have combined for the last four SPSL North crowns. In addition, when one finished first, the other traditionally has finished second, except for this fall, when Kentlake took second, one point ahead of the third-place Conquerors.<\/p>\n
Despite a host of early season Kentwood injuries that resulted in an uncharacteristic slow start, the Bears were well aware of where the Conquerors were in the standings \u2013 and capabilities \u2013 throughout the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had some injuries that they had to deal with, and they dealt with them very well,\u201d Tahoma\u2019s Jason Johnson said. \u201cThey didn\u2019t drop many matches. We knew, the way they go \u2026 somehow, all of a sudden, they would be back up. I knew (at the end of the year) that they would be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
And the Conquerors were.<\/p>\n
Picking up the win over a respected rival made it all the more sweet.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody this season wanted to play Skyline, the No. 1 team (in the nation),\u201d Radford said. \u201cBut, you know, I felt relaxed because we knew what we were doing \u2013 it\u2019s Tahoma. They\u2019re a great team. As big of a rivalry as it is, it\u2019s sweet to win a state title. It\u2019s very, very nice to do it against a team that you respect, and that you\u2019re going to turn around and face next year.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
MEET THE CHAMPIONS<\/b><\/p>\n
Below is a look at who made the Class 4A state title possible for the Conquerors:<\/p>\n
23 Madison Belmondo<\/p>\n
11 Mykala Benjamin<\/p>\n
7 Sara Bindl<\/p>\n
15 Tori Clark<\/p>\n
6 Madison Fuller<\/p>\n
13 Andrea Hatfield<\/p>\n
3 Miranda Hruby<\/p>\n
14 Allyson Irwin<\/p>\n
00 Courtney Johnson<\/p>\n
16 Emma Knapp<\/p>\n
8 Kiana Kraft<\/p>\n
2 Mariah Lee<\/p>\n
9 Megan McNally<\/p>\n
17 Reiney Meyers<\/p>\n
10 Sarah Otey<\/p>\n
12 Courtney Roller<\/p>\n
18 Kelley Sindelar<\/p>\n
4 Reilly Retz<\/p>\n
21 Trisha White<\/p>\n
Megan Charlton<\/p>\n
Haley Higgins<\/p>\n
Cassidy Meyers<\/p>\n
Sterling Peterson<\/p>\n
COACH: Aaron Radford<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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