Elma and Montesano are both headed to the state tournament as we review the final weekend of girls prep soccer district-tournament games on the Harbor.
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GIRLS PREP SOCCER
Elma 2, Rochester 0
For the second time in three seasons, the Elma Eagles are making an appearance in the 1A State Tournament.
Goals by Miley Seaberg and Mia Monroe on assists by Beta Valentine propelled the Eagles into the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Rochester in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday at Montesano High School.
Playing for the third time in five days, the Eagles (11-6-2 overall) had to overcome fatigue to earn a spot in state, a place it hadn’t been since the 2022 season.
Elma weathered an early offensive push by the Warriors (5-13-1) before breaking a scoreless tie thanks to two of its top senior standouts.
Valentine got the ball a few feet outside the top of the 18-yard box and held possession despite drawing the attention of multiple Warriors defenders.
The Eagles senior forward then passed the ball across to Seaberg, who arced a shot over the Warriors keeper and into the top corner of the net for a 1-0 lead 15 minutes into the game.
“It felt really good,” Seaberg said of the goal. “I was happy that we scored. It felt good to put us ahead.”
Rochester nearly tied the game when one of the few shots that got through to the Elma goal was on its way into the back of the net until senior goalkeeper Mylee Hull made a diving save to snatch the ball out of the air, preserving the Eagles 1-0 lead.
Elma controlled the pitch throughout the majority of the second half and doubled its lead in the 59th minute.
Valentine once again found herself with the ball near the top of the 18-yard box hounded by several defenders. Unable to pivot and shoot, Valentine laid a perfect drop pass back to Monroe, who stepped into a shot that whistled just inside the far post for a 2-0 lead with just over 20 minutes to go in the game.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma midfielder Mia Monroe (3) surveys the Rochester defense during a 2-0 victory in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Montesano.
“We had a lot of momentum on that play,” Monroe said. “It all added up in the end for a great outcome and I’m grateful I got that shot off. … I just wanted to go and celebrate with my team because they all had a part in it.”
“I was looking to score but, obviously it was really hard because I had a lot of people on me. It’s been like that for the past few games,” Valentine said. “I was just doing what I could work with and getting two assists is pretty good. … They were perfect goals, really.”
Rochester sent numbers forward looking to score down the stretch, but Elma’s defense found ways to block and deflect any shot attempt and through pass the Warriors attempted.
“Just play smart and keep them in front of us,” Elma head coach Evan Valentine said of his defense. “I knew that they were probably going for a long shot. … We believe in (Hull) to make the saves and that’s what happened.”
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma defenders Chloe Donais (left) and Amaya Lewis (13) prevent the ball from getting through in a 2-0 win over Rochester in a 1A District 4 Tournament elimination game on Saturday in Montesano. The Eagles earned a berth in the state tournament with the victory.
Elma was able to run off the rest of the clock to earn the state trip, which was a goal for a senior class that fell short last season in a penalty-kick shootout.
“I feel like we knew we could’ve (got to state) last year and we should have done it last year,” Seaberg said. “So I’m happy we got the opportunity to do it our senior year.”
“It’s so relieving,” Monroe said of getting back to state. “Our whole goal for our senior year was to go as far as we can and I think we have a lot of potential this year. … For me, it’s all I’ve thought about.”
“I’m super excited,” Beta Valentine said. “I think it’s really great going back to state my senior year and it feels good to have one big tournament with my team again.”
Elma earned a No. 11 seed in the 16-team 1A State Tournament and will face No. 6 Eastside Prep (11-4) in a first-round game on Tuesday or Wednesday (time, date, location to be determined).
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Seton Catholic 1, Montesano 0
One goal turned out to be the difference in another district-championship loss for Montesano as the Bulldogs fell 1-0 to Seton Catholic on Saturday at King’s Way Christian High School in Vancouver.
The Bulldogs (13-6) had their chances with seven shots on goal, but were unable to get one across the line in a game where the benefit of foul calls went in favor of the Cougars (19-0).
Seton Catholic junior forward Hailey Herboth scored off an assist from freshman Lilah Chase in the second half for the game’s only goal.
The 1-0 win was just the second one-goal margin result for the second-ranked Cougars this season, dating back to a 2-1 win over Prairie on Sept. 14.
The loss was the ninth for the Bulldogs in 10 consecutive district-title game appearances.
Despite the defeat, Montesano earned a No. 8 seed in the 1A State Tournament and will host No. 9 University Place at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Montesano 0 0 – 0
Seton Catholic 0 1 – 1
Scoring
First half – none.
Second half – 1, Seton Catholic, Herboth (Chase).
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RIDLEY HUDSON | THE CHRONICLE Adna’s Bailey Naillon (11) and Adna’s Haley Roundtree (15) run to get the ball from Ocasta’s Brizeyda Ayala Rios during a 2B District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Tenino.
Adna 2, Ocosta 1
Ocosta’s comeback fell just short in a season-ending 2-1 loss to Adna in a 2B District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Tenino.
The Wildcats (11-5) trailed 2-0 at halftime before rallying to cut the deficit in half late in the game against the Pirates (10-7-1).
Ocosta eighth-grader Kat Nersten ran on to a well-placed through pass from senior midfielder Kylee Denny before maneuvering around an Adna defender and belting a shot into the net in the 77th minute.
The Wildcats had their chances over the final minutes of the match, but their shots failed to produce the tying goal in suffering a season-ending 2-1 loss.
RIDLEY HUDSON | THE CHRONICLE Ocosta’s Kylee Denny (8) attempts a header during a 2B District 4 elimination game against Adna on Saturday at Tenino High School.
“I told the girls to leave everything on field and keep fighting and they did just that,” Ocosta head coach Rissy Ness said. “I would like to give recognition to all of my players who have overcome so many obstacles this season with injuries, and at times, lack of substitutes to give the girls much needed breaks. I would also like to give a shout-out to my three seniors who lead the team well all season, Gabby Ness, Kennedy Reynolds and Kylee Denny. I have enjoyed coaching this team all season and am so thankful for their dedication and hard work.”
Ocosta 0 1 – 1
Adna 2 0 – 2
Scoring
First half – 1, Adna, Naillon, 23rd minute. 2, Adna, Tobin (Humphrey), 37th minute.
Second half – 3, Ocosta, Nersten (Denny), 77th minute.
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RIDLEY HUDSON | THE CHRONICLE Raymond-South Bend’s Megan Kongbouakhay (right) defense a pass from Onalaska’s Kate Zandell a 2B District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Tenino.
Onalaska 4, Raymond-South Bend 1
Onalaska had scored four unanswered goals to hand Raymond-South Bend a season-ending 4-1 loss in a 2B District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Tenino.
The Ravens (7-10) took a 1-0 lead on a goal by junior Mary Loza just seven minutes into the game.
But the Loggers (12-5-1), scored twice before halftime to take a 2-1 lead at the break and twice more in the second half to hand RSB the loss.
Kaiyah Sandridge and Yuliana Escalera had two goals apiece for Onalaska.
RSB 1 0 – 1
Onalaska 2 2 – 4
Scoring
First half – 1, RSB, Loza, 7th minute. 2, Onalaska, Sandridge, 34th minute. 3, Onalaska, Escalera, 38th minute.
Second half – 4, Onalaska, Sandridge (Escalera), 57th minute. 5, Onalaska, Escalera, 65th minute.
