Girls Prep Soccer Roundup: Montesano sharp in season-opening win over Napavine

Roundtree scores two goals as Bulldogs blank Tigers 5-0; Denny goal leads Ocosta past Auburn Adventist

The girls prep soccer season kicked off on Thursday with a pair of Twin Harbors teams earning shutout victories.

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GIRLS PREP SOCCER

Montesano 5, Napavine 0

Sam Roundtree scored two goals and added an assist as Montesano looked sharp in a 5-0 season-0pening victory over Napavine on Thursday at Montesano High School.

It didn’t take long for the Bulldogs (1-0 overall) to get on the scoreboard as Roundtree – a senior midfielder – scored from a shot inside the 18-yard box off a feed from senior forward Adda Potts 4:30 into the game.

Monte’s continued offensive pressure paid off when freshman midfielder Lainey Robinson scored the first varsity goal of her prep career after her shot was deflected off a Napavine defender and into the net in the 22nd minute.

Just before the end of the half, Monte went up 3-0 when Roundtree sent a cross to senior midfielder Angelina Brunzie, who ripped a shot from approximately 25 yards out over the outstretched hand of Tigers keeper Taylen Evander and into the top of the net.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano midfielder Angelina Brunzie (middle) celebrates with Mary Campbell (26) and Kennedy Campbell (9) after scoring a goal in the first half of a 5-0 win over Napavine on Thursday in Montesano.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano midfielder Angelina Brunzie (middle) celebrates with Mary Campbell (26) and Kennedy Campbell (9) after scoring a goal in the first half of a 5-0 win over Napavine on Thursday in Montesano.

After the break, Roundtree scored her second of the game on a shot from inside the penalty area at the 46-minute mark.

“It felt really good,” Roundtree said of scoring a pair of goals in the first game of her senior season. “I feel like once we got that first one, it definitely brought the team up and we were ready to go after that.”

Sophomore forward Jaelyn Butterfield completed the scoring, weaving through multiple Tigers defenders to slot a shot past Evander for a nifty goal in the 79th minute.

“Everything we’ve been working on since day one, we did well today,” Monte head coach Fidel Sanchez said. “All the concepts we’ve been giving them, they actually did them. It was one of those games where it was like, ‘Wow, we’re accomplishing every little goal we set out to do,’ so it was good.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Kennedy Campbell (left) collides with Napavine’s Ava Wilson during the Bulldogs’ 5-0 victory on Thursday at Montesano High School.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Kennedy Campbell (left) collides with Napavine’s Ava Wilson during the Bulldogs’ 5-0 victory on Thursday at Montesano High School.

Montesano controlled the pace of play and held possession in Napavine’s final third for the vast majority of the game, largely due to a poised defense that held the Tigers without a shot on goal, earning Monte junior goalkeeper Izzie Taylor the clean-sheet shutout.

“We came in really confident and I know that we have really good team chemistry coming in from last year. We’re expected to be up there (in the state rankings) and we definitely came out and proved ourselves tonight,” Roundtree said. “Once we got through those first three minutes, we really started pulling it together.”

Sanchez said his team’s first-game dominance and game plan execution were no surprise based on the work done in the preseason.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano forward Addison Potts (8) battles with Napavine’s Maya Kunkel for possession during the Bulldogs’ 5-0 win on Thursday in Montesano.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano forward Addison Potts (8) battles with Napavine’s Maya Kunkel for possession during the Bulldogs’ 5-0 win on Thursday in Montesano.

“If you saw what we’ve been doing in the summer, no,” Sanchez said when asked if it is unusual to see a team play with such midseason form in its first game. “But this clean, yes. You can tell when things started to kind of go south a little bit – when the kids started to get fatigued – and we subbed them out. We put new players in there and we kept the same level (of play). What I like this year is we are more of a complete team. Last year, we had to depend on key players to get us through. This year, we have a more complete team because everybody is at the same level.”

Monte’s depth was further evidenced by the absence of starting junior midfielder Lex Stanfield, who was out with a groin injury.

The Bulldogs face Toledo at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Toledo High School.

Monte will make a trip to Bothell to take on fellow state-power Cedar Park Christian at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Napavine 0 0 – 0

Montesano 3 2 – 5

Scoring

First half – 1, Montesano, Roundtree (Potts), 5th minute. 2, Montesano, Robinson, 22nd minute. 3, Montesano, Brunzie (Roundtree), 40th minute.

Second half – 4, Montesano, Roundtree, 46th minute. 5, Montesano, Butterfield, 78th minute.

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Ocosta 1, Auburn Adventist 0

Ocosta got a golf from Kylee Denny early in the game and made it stick for a 1-0 season-opening win over Auburn Adventist on Wednesday in Auburn.

Denny punched in a goal off an assist from freshman Bristol Towle to put Ocosta up 1-0 in the ninth minute.

Ocosta battled through the 90-plus degree heat to allow eight shots in the game and earn Wildcats goalkeeper Amelia Saunders the 1-0 shutout victory.

“Great hustle and endurance from all 13 girls who played both halves with great intensity and determination,” Ocosta coach Rissy Ness said of the win.

Ocosta will face Raymond-South Bend at 6 p.m. on Monday in South Bend.

Ocosta 1 0 – 1

Auburn Adventist 0 0 – 0

Scoring

First half – 1, Ocosta, Ness (Towle), 9th minute.

Second half – none.