GIRLS PREP SOCCER
Montesano 4, Hoquiam 1
The Montesano Bulldogs responded from a tough loss in its previous game with a hot start to earn a 4-1 victory over Hoquiam on Thursday at Olympic Stadium.
In its first game after suffering a bitter 3-0 loss in a first-place showdown with Tenino on Tuesday, Montesano (9-3 overall, 5-1 Evergreen 1A) started off hot as sophomore forward Jaiden Morrison scored two goals within the first 15 minutes of the game, both on assists from senior Anna Ayres.
“We jumped on them early and it was good to see that, especially after that loss to Tenino,” Monte head coach Fidel Sanchez said. “We got our soccer style back and we did that pretty good tonight.”
Morrison scored in the third and 11th minutes off of feeds from Ayres, but Hoquiam (4-7-1, 2-4) got back in the game with a goal by Taylor Strom in the 28th minute.
But despite soggy field conditions, Monte kept up the pace and pressure, scoring its third goal in the 34th minute on a low shot by Ayres that tucked inside the far post from approximately 20-yards out.
A little over one minute later the Bulldogs took a 4-1 lead when freshman midfielder Jaiden King scored to give Monte a 4-1 lead.
Montesano players celebrate with Jaiden King, second from right, after she scored the Bulldogs’ fourth goal in a win over Hoquiam on Thursday. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)
Monte sits a game behind first-place Tenino (11-0-1, 6-0) —which beat Elma 3-1 on Thursday —in the 1A Evergreen League standings.
The Bulldogs host winless Forks on Tuesday before a key matchup with Elma on Thursday at Jack Rottle Field.
With the loss, Hoquiam sits a game behind Elma for the third spot in the league standings.
The Grizzlies take on Elma at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Davis Field.
Montesano 4 0 — 4
Hoquiam 1 0 — 1
Top Players: Montesano — Morrison (2 G, 3rd, 11th minute); Ayres (G, 2 A); King (G, 34th minute). Hoquiam — Strom (G, 28th minute)
Tenino 3, Elma 1
Elma had a hard time containing Tenino’s Morgan Miner as she scored twice in the second half to hand the Eagles a 3-1 loss at Beaver Stadium in Tenino on Thursday night.
The game started with a steady rain and a steady stream of scoring chances for the Beavers, who put five shot attempts toward Elma’s goal in the first 12 minutes of play.
Elma’s Jillian Bieker, left, gets around Tenino midfielder Megan Letts in the first half of a match on Thursday. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Tenino broke through on a corner kick in the 13th minute. Iris Campesino scored after the ball briefly bounced around deep in the Eagles’ box.
The Beavers generated additional chances, but Grace Koonrad and the Eagles back line was up to the task, clearing the ball out of the box before a Tenino forward could expand on the lead.
Elma head coach Evan Valentine said he liked how his team played despite surrendering an early goal, but thought his team lacked aggression late in the first half.
“I think old habits die hard sometimes,” he said. “They have to maintain that confidence like how they start the game. We’re getting slightly better at every game. It’s not a tired thing, it’s about maintaining confidence in ourselves.”
Tenino took advantage of a couple of miscues by Elma defenders in the second half. Miner scored twice, once in the 47th and later in the 65th minute, both times by intercepting passes from Elma’s backs and beating Koonrad one-on-one to hand the Eagles the loss.
Elma’s Autumn Kearse, right, dribbles the ball up field while Mercy Spencer directs her toward open space in the first half of a road match against Tenino on Thursday. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Valentine said his short-handed team has shown a lot of toughness by staying out there for a full 80 minutes.
“I have very few subs. I don’t have a sub for each position,” he said. “A lot of these players are playing full games already. It shows mental fortitude and I like that.”
Elma showed some fight with 10 minutes to go in the contest. The Eagles forced a corner kick and Janessa Sample put Elma on the board with a low, close-range shot that barley got over the goal line.
Elma takes on Hoquiam at 7 p.m. on Monday at Davis Field.
Elma 0 1 – 1
Tenino 1 2 – 3
Top Players: Tenino – Miner (2 G, 47th and 65th minute), Campesino (G, 13th minute); Elma – Sample (G, 70th minute)
— Hasani Grayson, Grays Harbor News Group
Aberdeen 1, Centralia 0 (AHS 5-4 PK)
(Bobcats wins 5-4 on penalty kicks)
Aberdeen goalkeeper Char Gutierrez kept the Centralia Tigers scoreless throughout the entirety of Thursday’s match and in overtime. She also came up with the save of the game in the penalty-kick shootout to give Aberdeen the 1-0 victory at Tiger Stadium, 5-4 on penalty kicks.
Aberdeen (7-4, 4-2 Evergreen 2A) dominated play, but more Bobcats shots found iron than net. Abbie Bradt nearly scored when her 25-yard free kick in the first half clanged off the crossbar and Emmy Walsh hit a post with a shot in the second half.
Neither team scored in overtime, forcing the 2A Evergreen League game into a penalty-kick shootout. Aberdeen’s Nayeli Morris, Emma Green, Brooklyn Lecomte, Bradt and Dominique Trevino converted on their penalty kicks, setting up Gutierrez with a chance to make a game-winning save. The sophomore keeper blocked the final Centralia attempt to give Aberdeen an important league victory.
“Our defense and goalkeeping were solid, and our passing was much improved,” Aberdeen head coach Larry Fleming said. “If we can get more quality shots on frame then we will be pretty good.”
With the win, Aberdeen stays in a second-place tie with Black Hills and is a game up on WF West in the league standings.
The Bobcats face WF West at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Chehalis.
Aberdeen JV won 5-2 over Centralia JV on Thursday. Emma Siano scored twice and Cha’Tara Green, Ally Cuevas and Karen Escobar scored for Aberdeen.
Aberdeen 0 0 — 1
Centralia 0 0 — 0
(Aberdeen wins 5-4 on penalty kicks)
