Crosspoint rises, Klahowya falls in girls soccer state title showdowns
In a battle of unbeaten Class B girls soccer teams, Crosspoint brought its A-game at the right time.
Facing No. 2 Kalama in Saturday's championship showdown at Federal Way Stadium, the top-seeded Warriors triumphed 2-1 on second-half goals by senior Alina Jennings and sophomore Anna Kuske. Crosspoint collected its third state title, having won first-place trophies in 2013 and 2014.
"It was a really exciting game to be a part of," Warriors head coach Scean Pickering said.
Finishing the season at 19-0 was no simple task for Crosspoint, which knocked off Northwest Christian (Colbert) in the semifinals 3-2 on Friday. Kalama (18-1-2) entered the game riding a 16-game win streak in which the team allowed zero goals. In fact, Crosspoint's opponents hadn't allowed a goal all year when facing a B opponent, sporting a 99-0 goals for/against margin.
Crosspoint cashed in twice after a scoreless first 40 minutes as Pickering called the victory the team's most complete game of the year.
"We did a good job of forcing the ball wide and defending with numbers," he said.
Winning a title Saturday might be a sign of things to come for Crosspoint in the future. The Warriors will graduate only three seniors and the roster includes three eighth-graders, one freshman, eight sophomores and three juniors.
"It's a young group, it's a hungry group," Pickering said. "They are in position to win a lot of games over the next couple of years."
Klahowya's repeat 1A championship bid denied
A fast start in Friday's Class 1A semifinal against La Center helped Klahowya's girls soccer team reach Saturday's title game.
Unfortunately for the top-seeded Eagles, they lacked a similar spark in the title game against No. 2 Seattle Academy and it cost them in their pursuit to repeat as state champions. The Cardinals scored the first and last to hand Klahowya a 2-1 defeat at Mount Tahoma High School.
"They deserve it," said Klahowya head coach Troy Oelschlager, whose team suffered its first championship game defeat after winning state titles in 1999, 2014 and 2022. "We just didn't play our best soccer in the first half."
Coached by former Seattle Sounders FC player Brad Evans, Seattle Academy (18-2-2) took a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute after Klahowya committed a tripping foul in its goal area. Isla McNae converted as the Cardinals led 1-0 at halftime.
Klahowya (20-3) overcame a 1-0 deficit in last year's 3-1 title game win against Lynden Christian and came out of the locker room with renewed energy while chasing the tying goal. Junior Amira Lyons hit the crossbar on a left-footed volley from 30 yards in the 50th minute. Nine minutes later, freshman Addyson Dickey knotted the score at 1-1 on a free kick from 19 yards out.
"I thought we turned the tide," Oelschlager said. "When we scored, I though, 'Now, OK, we're on a roll.'"
Instead, Seattle Academy went back on the offensive and scored the game-winning goal in the 69th minute. After a free kick and a goal-mouth scramble, Sydney Lennard pounced on a bouncing ball and fired it high into the back of the net.
The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak by Klahowya in state tournament play. The Eagles lost to Seattle Academy in the semifinal round in 2021.
Klahowya's group of seven seniors (Emma Grade, Hailey Freymuth, Peyton Feifeste, Bailey Watland, Ali Divano, Skyler Segalle, Autumn Corey) will graduate having helped the program add three state trophies the past three seasons (third in 2021, first in 2022 and second this fall).
Central Kitsap volleyball goes 1-2 at state
Central Kitsap's volleyball team finished 15-11 this fall after winning one of three matches at the Class 3A state tournament at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
Seeded No. 18, Central Kitsap beat Mercer Island in four sets before taking No. 2 Lynnwood to five sets. The Cougars fell 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 23-25, 15-12. Lynnwood ended up placing third.
Against No. 7 Liberty of Issaquah, Central Kitsap lost 27-25, 21-25, 25-22, 29-27. Liberty placed seventh.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Crosspoint rises, Klahowya falls in girls soccer state title showdowns
