The District 4 girls soccer playoffs began for the 2A and 1A classes while Pe Ell-Willapa Valley had a rare Tuesday evening football contest as we review prep sports on the Harbor.

GIRLS PREP SOCCER

Elma 3, King’s Way Christian 0

Elma got its postseason off to a good start with a 3-0 win over King’s Way Christian on Tuesday at Davis Field in Elma.

The Eagles got a goal apiece from senior midfielder Aaleigha Weld and junior forward Beta Valentine and had a little luck in a Knights’ own goal to win the 1A District 4 Tournament first-round game.

After a back-and-forth opening 25 minutes that saw both teams produce scoring chances, it was Elma that broke the scoreless tie when Valentine made a run into the Knights’ defensive third of the pitch then sent an angled pass forward to an open Weld, who placed a low shot inside the far post for a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma senior Aaleigha Weld (4) sends the ball forward against King’s Way Christian’s Ally Smith (20) during the Eagles’ 3-0 win in a 1A Division 4 Tournament first-round game on Tuesday at Davis Field in Elma.

In the second half, Elma dominated the offensive possession, leading to several prime scoring chances.

Valentine re-entered the game after being fouled hard early in the second half and immediately doubled the Eagles’ lead.

The all-state striker had the ball slip out of her hands on a throw-in toward teammate Valerie Echeverria, who was shadowed by King’s Way midfielder Scarlett Reid. The odd throw-in worked out in Elma’s favor as the ball bounced off Echeverria and back toward Valentine near the sideline. Valentine took a dribble to her right then ripped a shot from 22-yards out that streaked past leaping Knights goaltender Lauren Lewis and into the net for a 2-0 lead in the 52nd minute.

“I just felt like I was open enough that I could have an opportunity to shoot and I took it. It felt good when I shot it,” Valentine said of her goal that gave Elma and its fans some room to breathe. “I felt like we got a little more relaxed and we started playing much better after that. We felt a little more comfortable.”

Elma created some of its own luck in the 67th minute when a dangerous Valentine corner kick toward the front of the Knights net was volleyed around before crossing the line for an own goal to put the Eagles up 3-0.

Elma’s defense did the rest, with goal keeper Emmie Spencer making five saves in the second half – including a jumping stop of a high-arcing shot off a free kick from Reid – to preserve the clean-sheet shutout.

“A lot of times with this team, the defense gets overlooked, which is a shame because that is what takes your team far,” Valentine said of his defense, which has allowed just four goals this season. “Four goals allowed all season is pretty amazing and that starts in our back. We don’t give up things easily.”

With the win, Elma avoided elimination and is set to face a talented La Center Wildcats team in a rematch of last season’s district semifinal on Thursday in La Center (time to be determined).

King’s Way Christian 0 0 – 0

Elma 1 2 – 3

Scoring

First half – 1, Elma, Weld (Valentine), 23rd minute.

Second half – 2, Elma, Valentine, 52nd minute. 3, Elma, own goal, 67th minute.

Ridgefield 2, Aberdeen 0

Aberdeen couldn’t find the back of the net in a 2-0 loss to Ridgefield in the first round of the 2A District 4 Tournament on Tuesday in Ridgefield.

The Bobcats (9-7) allowed a goal in the final seconds of the first half and a second goal six minutes into the second half.

Aberdeen’s best scoring chance came when defender Esmerelda Vega received a drop pass from Abby Mainio and hammered a 35-yard shot that required the Spudders keeper to make a great save to keep from going into the net.

“So proud of our effort against a very good team. A couple more bounces our way and maybe we get that team to overtime,” Bobcats head coach Larry Fleming said. “Terrific work by our girls tonight.”

Fleming credited senior goalkeeper Jaylynn Phimmasone for having “an outstanding game handling a multitude of long shots,” and senior midfielder turned sweeper Zoe Troeh as well as midfielder Delaney Shoemaker, whom he said “was very strong on the ball all game long.”

Aberdeen will face Tumwater, which was upset by Hockinson 1-0 on Tuesday, in an elimination game scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday in Tumwater.

Aberdeen 0 0 – 0

Ridgefield 1 1 – 2

PREP FOOTBALL

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 41, Rainier 12

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley advanced to the 2B crossover round with a 41-12 win over Rainier in a 2B pigtail game on Tuesday in Menlo.

The Titans (6-4) held a 21-0 lead at halftime and a 27-0 lead after a touchdown run by senior running back Blake Howard early in the third quarter before Rainier (6-4) got on the scoreboard.

PWV put the game away with a 34-yard touchdown run from Cody Strozyk and a 20-yard fumble return by Connor “Cheese” Keeton.

Quarterback Nathan Fluke threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns on just 10 completions for PWV, his favorite target being Blaine King, who had 90 yards and a touchdown on three catches.

Senior running back Blake Howard had another standout performance for the Titans, rushing for 108 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

The Titans had 14 first downs in the game and overcame 15 penalties for 110 yards, a stat head coach Nate Smith hopes to correct as PWV has a short turnaround before facing Kalama at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Kalama in a crossover game.

“That is unlike us. It’s definitely something we’ve got to work on come this Saturday,” he said before turning his attention to the pigtail victory. “We told (PWV players), ‘If you lose, you’re out.’ So they came ready to play and they played decent. … We kind of used this to hopefully fine-tune ourselves to play a very good Kalama team. … Hopefully, we use this in the right direction and come out firing on all cylinders when we play Kalama.”

Rainier 0 0 6 6 – 12

PWV 7 14 6 14 – 41

Scoring

First quarter

PWV – B. Ruddell 12 pass from Fluke (Sliva kick), 0:25

Second quarter

PWV – King 10 pass from Fluke (2 pt. fail), 7:22

PWV – Mican 22 pass from Fluke (2 pt. good), 0:38

Third quarter

PWV – Howard 2 run (kick fail), 8:37

R – Howell 15 pass from Meldrum (PAT fail), 2:07

Fourth quarter

PWV – Strozyk 34 run (2 pt. good), 11:43

R – Sprouffske 50 pass from Meldrum (2 pt. fail), 9:30

PWV – Keeton 20 fumble recovery (2 pt. fail), 2:07

Leading passer: PWV – Fluke 10-17-1-180.

Leading rushers: PWV – Howard 20-108, Strozyk 4-51.

Leading receivers: PWV – King 3-90, B. Ruddell 2-37, Mican 1-22.