Liberty fades to finish fourth in state soccer tourney
November 20, 2012
Kali Youhgdahl (left), Liberty High School junior forward, has her jersey grabbed by Holy Names senior defender A.J. Fischer while attacking the goal during the first period of their state 3A consolation final Nov. 17 in Puyallup. By Greg Farrar
A Liberty High School girls soccer squad that breezed through the regular season to win the KingCo 3A with a 12-0-1 mark, and automatically punch its ticket to the state tournament as the conference winner, could not have met with worse fortune in the semifinal round of the state tournament.
In the semifinals held at Puyallup High School’s Sparks Field on Nov. 16, against Columbia River, Liberty was cruising along and it seemed as though it had secured a surefire 1-0 victory, courtesy of a Tara Johnson goal scored in the first half off a Katie Noonan assist.
Suddenly in the contest’s 69th minute, the Chieftains took one of their two kick-and-a-prayer shots on goal they strung together during the entire game. It somehow got past one of the leading net minders in the state to knot the tally at one all.
The Chieftains shored up their defense to keep Liberty at bay the rest of the way in regulation, and after a pair of five-minute overtime periods yielded no winner, the semis shifted into a shootout scenario, from which Columbia River emerged as the game’s winner.
Rivals Issaquah, Skyline on collision course for soccer title
November 13, 2012
After a couple of phenomenal post-season runs on the road, it is quite possible a tandem of KingCo 4A Crown Division rivals, Issaquah and Skyline, may be paired off in the girls state soccer championship showdown, in Puyallup’s Sparks Stadium at 4 p.m. Nov. 17.
Between Skyline and Issaquah, neither is an easy mark.
The last time they met was Oct. 23 when the two squads dueled to a scoreless tie.
Liberty girls soccer team rolls to state semifinals
November 13, 2012
Kiana Hafferty (left), Liberty High School senior midfielder, races Kate Hildahl, of Shorecrest, for the ball during an attack on goal Nov. 7. By Greg Farrar
The memories of last year’s 3A state championship game delicately linger in the minds of the Liberty High School soccer players.
Last year, the Patriots were up 2-0 in the state final against Seattle Prep, but ultimately fell to the Panthers, 3-2, after a roaring comeback.
This year, under the direction of first-year coach Tami Nguyen, Liberty doesn’t intend on letting it happen again.
“The team’s goal is to win these next two state games, so anytime I can help them achieve that goal, then I’m happy about that,” Nguyen said.
It’s been a successful season for the fifth-ranked Patriots, who captured the KingCo 3A title after going 12-1-1 in league play. Liberty had only three losses in the season, all against ranked opponents.
Issaquah School District soccer teams prep for state
November 6, 2012
The Issaquah School District will be well-represented in this week’s first round of the Class 3A and 4A state girls soccer tournaments, because Liberty, Issaquah and Skyline all made it to this year’s big dances in their respective classes.
Those critical initial clashes begin Nov. 7 for all three squads.
The only smudge on an otherwise perfect 12-0-1 league mark for Liberty was a 3-3 tie with pesky Mount Si in the Patriot kickers’ final league test of the regular season. The Patriots’ only losses overall came at the hands of Skyline (2-1), Issaquah (4-1) and Mercer Island (1-0).
Liberty High School girls soccer team clinches playoff berth
October 30, 2012
Despite recording ties in their last regular season contests of 2012, a couple of local high school girls soccer squads essentially wrapped up titles in their respective KingCo classifications recently, as 4A Skyline went to 9-0-1 in league action after logging a scoreless tie with local nemesis Issaquah.
Issaquah, which may or may not be heading for state action, basically sent big sister on her way to the state tournament with a little reminder that it isn’t the only good team in KingCo 4A, and wait until next year.
Liberty meanwhile sewed up the KingCo 3A hardware, emerging as the clear-cut trophy winner in its division, winding down the regular season with a 12-1-1 league mark, after tying Mount Si, 3-3.
Skyline’s Rachel Shim earns hat trick
September 25, 2012
Rachel Shim not only earned a hat trick Sept. 18 in Skyline High School’s soccer match against Newport, but did so in the game’s first eight minutes.
The Skyline Spartan’s first goal came in the second minute, when Shim headed a corner kick by Lauren Carson, a sophomore midfielder for the team. Shim then made an unassisted goal with a shot from the middle of the box in the fifth minute. Three minutes later, the senior forward had her hat trick when she headed yet another corner kick — this time from fellow team captain Lianna Simms.
Goalkeepers Sydney Martinez and Emily Baril combined for Skyline’s shutout and the Spartans won, 3-0.
Spartans soccer team hosts scrimmage of defending state champs
September 11, 2012
Rachel Shim, Skyline High School senior forward, dribbles past Seattle Prep’s defense during the Sept. 4 game at Skyline Stadium. By Lillian O’Rorke
The Skyline High School girls soccer team has a lot to prove this year.
The defending state champions have won the 4A title three times in the past four years. They went undefeated in the 2010 season and finished last year at 18-0-2.
It’s a similar story for Seattle Prep’s girls soccer team. Coming off of two consecutive 3A state championships, the players are ranked second among Washington’s 3A teams.
So as an early-season test of their mettle, the two defending state champions came together for a friendly match. And when the whistle was blown after the 90th minute ticked away Sept. 4, the two teams walked away still on level ground — tied at 2-2.
Skyline High School girls team hosts soccer camp
August 14, 2012
Skyline Women Junior Soccer Camp, for ages 6-13, is from 1-4 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Skyline High School community fields.
A fundraiser for the women’s soccer program, the fee for the camp is $35 and includes a Junior Spartans T-shirt. Campers will be coached by the varsity soccer team, last year’s 4A state champions.
Register for the camp by emailing skylinesoccer@comcast.net.
Eastside FC Girls win championship
August 7, 2012
The Eastside FC Girls G00 White team won the Adidas Beaverton Cup.
The tournament included 273 youth soccer teams from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.
The girls took three straight matches to qualify for the playoffs, where they defeated Hillsboro SC Pumas, 6-2, in the finals.
Eastside FC, coached by Scott Ford, went 5-0-0 in the tournament, outscoring their opponents 26-6.
Crossfire trio sets crosshairs on Sweden’s Gothia Cup
July 10, 2012
Pawehi ‘Pepsi’ Cloutier (right), Crossfire Premier reserve goalkeeper, and her teammates celebrate their Nike Manchester U Cup championship victory May 28 in Beaverton, Ore. By Christine McCaughey
Three Issaquah soccer players are going to represent America in the Gothia Cup, a tournament held in Sweden.
