In the midst of a history making run, the Kentwood High girls soccer team was bit by an old nemesis Friday night at Harry E. Lang Stadium in Lakewood.
In the midst of pouring and swirling rain, the Conquerors fell to Skyline in a shootout 7-6, resulting in a 1-0 Class 4A state semifinal loss. It’s the third time in the last five years the Conquerors have dropped a state soccer game via a shootout.
“They played such a great, great year,” lamented Kentwood coach Aaron Radford. “For us to receive our first loss (of the season) in the semifinals is an amazing feat to begin with. To end up in another shootout and not have it go our way again … my heart just goes out to these girls to have to be put in that position.”’
Ninth-ranked Kentwood (16-1-4) played to a 0-0 tie with seventh-ranked Skyline through regulation and two five-minute overtimes, forcing the contest to be decided by a shootout. During a shootout, each team receives five attempts.
Once the teams took the field for the deciding process, a hard, sideways rain drenched the stadium turf.
Tied 4-4 during the first slate of attempts, Kentwood received a golden opportunity when goalkeeper Courtney Johnson batted down the attempt by Skyline’s Madi Barney.
“It’s tough,” Johnson said of the scenario while brushing away tears. “But the pressure is not on (the goalkeeper). I like the pressure, but it’s not the best situation to end games like that.”
Skyline goalkeeper Tina Vargas proceeded to block the following attempt by Kentwood’s Mackenzie Meyers, sending the game into a golden-goal shootout. During the golden-goal shootout, each team is allotted the same amount of attempts until the tie is broken. Skyline’s sixth attempt, a shot by Brittanee Randle, sailed high over the crossbar, giving the Conquerors an opportunity to secure the title-game berth with a score. However, the attempt by Kentwood’s Sara Bindl also sailed high.
Knotted 6-6, Skyline’s Kayla Shim gave the Spartans the lead, nestling the ball in the back-left corner of the net. In the midst of a torrential downpour, the following shot by Kentwood defender Clarisa Hammer flew high over the goal, giving Skyline the 7-6 (1-0) victory.
“I honestly don’t think it’s a fair way to lose any game. It’s hard to say we lost,” Radford said. “On the other side of it, somebody has to win the game.”
Since Kentwood does not go through shootouts during the regular season in the South Puget Sound League, it had not taken part in one this season.
Losing, particularly in such difficult fashion, was difficult to swallow.
Is it fair to decide a game of such magnitude by a shootout?
“Honestly, I don’t think so, not when you’ve played 90 minutes of soccer,” Johnson said. “I’m competitive. I love to win and hate to lose. We had a really good chance. Shootouts are not a fun way to lose.”
Despite the loss, Kentwood still has one game remaining on the season. The Conquerors play Kamiakin (18-2-1) at noon on Saturday, Nov. 21 for the third-place trophy. Regardless of the outcome, the Conquerors already will have delivered the school’s best-ever finish at the state tournament.
“It has been a really good season. We’ve accomplished so much even though we didn’t reach our ultimate goal of getting to the state championship,” said Kentwood midfielder Kiana Kraft. “We still got so many school records.”
One of those records includes fewest goals allowed. The Conquerors entered Saturday night’s contest having allowed just two goals all season. That number includes 18 shutouts.
The Conquerors appeared primed to make it 19 shutouts, but simply couldn’t find the back of the net. Skyline outshot Kentwood 16-6 during regulation and the two overtimes combined.
Kentwood’s best opportunity of the first half came in the 13th minute, when Rachel Bindl’s free kick from 20 yards out sailed over the crossbar. The Conquerors essentially enjoyed the run of play through the game’s first 20 minutes before Skyline methodically took the momentum. The Spartans entertained a pair of golden chances, one in the 23rd minute and another one minute later, both on corner kicks. Both attempts bounded around from five yards out, pinballed off several players before the Conquerors cleared the ball.
While Skyline didn’t dominate the run of play in the second half and two overtimes, it certainly controlled the tempo, outshooting the Conquerors 10-3 during the final 50 minutes. The Spartans did get two good looks in the first overtime, but were turned away both times by Johnson, one of which came on a diving grab.
The number of attempts in the shootout was a bit of an anomaly, Radford conceded.
“I’ve witnessed eight before,” Radford said. “I’ve never been part of one past five. And I’ve never seen anything go 9.”
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