Kentwood soccer continues hot start in win vs. Bethel

Kentwood High School girls soccer had a disappointing finish to the 2023 season. After just missing out on the league title, the Conks fell off in the district tournament, losing their first two games.

This year, Kentwood has gotten off to one of the hottest starts in the NPSL. Following a 5-2 win over Emerald Ridge, the Conks dismantled the Bethel Bison 5-1 on Sept. 12 at home.

“It is a confidence boost for sure. Is it a gauge on where they are? Not at all. It is planting some seeds that we can be that attack minded,” Manager Scott Gibb said.

The Conks join Enumclaw as the third highest scoring team through the first two games of the season, with Decatur (14) and Kentlake (11) ahead of the Black and Gray.

“Coming into the season we felt that we weren’t going to be great offensively. But Coach Gibb switched up our lineup and that really helped. We are working together and have good chemistry,” Diya Thomas said.

Bethel is coming off a two win season, but gave Kentwood trouble early. Before either side found the back of the net, the Bison found a couple of early opportunities, but were not able to capitalize on them. The Conks’ backline and goalkeeper Logan Mabalay made a couple of big saves early on.

The scoring got started in the 17th minute off of a free kick. Senior defender Tori Loso found junior Diya Thomas, who made a run behind the Bethel defense where Thomas put the shot past the keeper for the 1-0 lead.

Five minutes later, Kentwood was on the attack again. This time, sophomore Alyssa Cromwell attacked the Bison defense solo. Cromwell found space down the left sideline and drove the ball right to around the 18-yard box. She shifted the ball to her right foot and slotted the shot above the Bison keeper’s outstretched arm for the 2-0 lead. Cromwell and Thomas have worked together to set the standard that Gibb is looking for his team to be at.

“You have two people who are unselfish, but selfish when they need to be. They are setting that bar for the underclassmen and people who want to be in that play. That is a huge benefit,” Gibb said.

After Kentwood was up 2-0, it seemed like they took their foot off the gas and they lost control of the game a little bit. Bethel found a few more opportunities, and in the 33rd minute, the Bison sliced the Conks’ lead in half with a goal of their own.

Unfortunately for Bethel, that was just enough to wake up the Conquerors, and from that moment forward, it was clear that for the last hour, Kentwood was the better team.

“We started playing for each other and not ourselves. We were spread out, not passing to each other. Then we really started talking to each other and communicating,” Thomas said.

Two minutes after the Bison got within one goal, Cromwell made a run behind the Bison defense and Thomas sent in a perfect pass. One touch around the keeper and Cromwell put Kentwood back in front by two, capping the first half with a goal.

“We are best friends. We ride in the same car all the time. We have really good chemistry,” said Thomas on her friendship and connection with Cromwell.

In the second half, it took a while for the scoring to continue, with both sides struggling to possess the ball and get positive chances. But in the 66th minute, the Conks were awarded a free kick from 30 yards out. Thomas had hit the cross bar earlier in the game, but didn’t miss this time. A beautiful strike beat the Bison keeper and the Conks had a stranglehold on the win.

Thomas now has four goals and three assists in her first two games of the season.

“I have really picked my head up. I have really good chemistry with Alyssa. We work well with each other and I play really well off of her,” Thomas said on her hot start.

Junior Noelia Lozano-Sanchez was not satisfied with the three-goal win and with just over 10 minutes to go in the game, she did something about it. Lozano-Sanchez sat right at the six-yard box for a Cromwell cross and directed it into the back of the net for the fifth goal of the night and the final goal of the evening.

Kentwood has a tall task at hand in their first league game against Tahoma, the 2023 league winner. The Conks travel to Tahoma on Sept. 17.

“I don’t know how the Tahoma game will be, but I am excited,” said Thomas.

This year, with the new schedule, all league matchups happen twice, as opposed to last year, where teams played league opponents once.

“You want to use it as a measuring stick. Expectations? None. Last year was last year, this year, you put the weight and value in playing them once. Then okay, what do we need to fix,” Gibb said.

Kentwood sophomore Alyssa Cromwell runs back to her teammates after scoring her second goal of the night. Ben Ray / The Reporter

Kentwood junior Noelia Lozano-Sanchez high-tens Madelen Tran after scoring the fifth goal of the night for the Conks. Ben Ray / The Reporter