North Kitsap, Klahowya boys soccer teams score first-round state tournament victories
Watching film ahead of Tuesday’s Class 2A state tournament boys soccer opener against W.F. West, North Kitsap head coach Greg St. Peter and the Vikings noticed the Bearcats looked a little “nervous” defending balls played deep into their goal area.
For North Kitsap senior Mason Chmielewski, known for his ability to uncork long throw-ins, that meant one thing: fire away at W.F. West’s net.
“We kind of try to treat it as a corner, just like another set piece,” Chmielewski said. “We’re pretty good with set plays, we score a lot of goals with that.”
In the seventh minute, Chmielewski found himself in position to unleash a 25-yard throw-in, hoping a teammate could rise to get a header on the ball or pounce on a rebound. Instead, Chmielewski’s throw-in went off the hands of goalkeeper Josh Madrigal and into the net for the game's first goal.
“Anything can happen in that area,” St. Peter said.
Chmielewski would go on to add another goal and an assist as the No. 3 Vikings finished off a 6-0 home victory against No. 14 W.F. West. Mason Peters, who scored on a header off another long Chmielewski throw-in, joined Pepe DeLuna, Gavin Rogers and Ethan Flores as the Vikings’ other goal-scorers. North Kitsap (18-1) will host either No. 5 Pullman or No. 12 Evergreen (Seattle) in the quarterfinal round, either Friday or Saturday in Poulsbo.
Finishing as the 2A state runner-up in 2023, North Kitsap opened this spring with a 16-game winning streak before dropping a 1-0 game against Fife in district tournament play. It wasn’t a case of the Vikings playing poorly.
“I wasn’t disappointed with our performance because our opportunities were there,” St. Peter said. “This is kind of a blessing in disguise. You kind of want to get that loss out of the way.”
Chmielewski agreed that the defeat shouldn't be viewed as a letdown.
“I told our team, we’ve got to treat it as a lesson,” he said.
North Kitsap’s next two games featured 6-0 victories, including Tuesday’s game that saw the Vikings dominate possession and allow few opportunities on their own net.
“How do you respond? That’s the big question,” St. Peter said. “They responded pretty well.”
Klahowya shocks Montesano in final minutes
Hosting No. 17 Montesano in the first round of the 1A state tournament Tuesday, No. 16 Klahowya found itself trailing by a goal in the final three minutes of the game.
Eagles head coach Jeff Quinn hoped his team could figure out a way to tie the score. It turned out Klahowya had more than just the equalizer in mind.
After Oliver Peterson tied the game at 1-1 with a penalty kick in the 78th minute, Kaleb Warden pounced on a rebound in front of Montesano’s net in the final seconds for a 2-1 Klahowya victory. It was the Eagles’ first win in state play since 2019.
“It was crazy,” Quinn said. “That’s why you never give up.”
Klahowya (14-4-2) advances to face No. 1 Cascade (Leavenworth) on Friday at the Apple Bowl in Wenatchee.
Going down a goal in the 65th minute, Klahowya changed its formation in an attempt to find more offense, trading a defender for a second forward. The Eagles kept pressing late, leading to Peterson being fouled in the box. He converted his seventh penalty kick this season, setting the stage for Warden’s winner. Quinn said the referee was on the verge of blowing the whistle before the final goal.
When asked about his message to his players after the contest, Quinn said: “You need to play the whole game with passion and intensity like you played the last 10 minutes.”
Central Kitsap, Bainbridge open 3A playoffs Friday
Central Kitsap and Bainbridge both open play in the Class 3A state boys soccer tournament on Friday.
As the No. 2 seed in the tournament, Central Kitsap (15-1-2) hosts No. 15 Ballard at home on Friday at 7 p.m. If the Cougars win, they'll face a quick turnaround, hosting either No. 10 Mead or No. 7 Edmonds-Woodway at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
No. 8 Bainbridge (17-3) faces No. 9 Mount Vernon at Shoreline Stadium at 5 p.m. on Friday. A victory would put the Spartans into a 2 p.m. Saturday matchup against No. 1 Shorewood or No. 17 Auburn Mountainview.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: North Kitsap, Klahowya boys soccer teams win state openers
