GH Newspaper Group
A slow start by Montesano allowed King’s Way Christian to take full control to claim the District IV 1A girls soccer title on Saturday, Nov. 5.
The Knights scored twice in the first 10 minutes and never allowed the Bulldogs to gain a foothold in a 4-0 decision at King’s Way Christian in Vancouver.
On Nov. 8, Montesano (12-4-2) traveled to Sumner to take on Cascade Christian in first round of the state 1A playoffs. Results of the match were not available when the paper went to press.
“We came out very tentative in the first 10 minutes and King’s Way really pressed to get those goals,” Montesano assistant coach Rick Denholm said. “Our girls settled down from there and it was 50-50 for the rest of the first half. The ball was on our side of the field most of the second half. We had some decent shots, but couldn’t finish.”
KWC scored in the third and 10th minutes to lead 2-0 at halftime. The hosts added goals in the 60th and 77th minutes for the final tally.
Montesano’s Anna Ayres made her first appearance in District IV 1A Tournament game count on Thursday, Nov. 3.
The freshman was put into the game as a substitute late in the second half of the match between the Bulldogs and Seton Catholic at King’s Way Christian High School in Vancouver, but less than five minutes into her stint in the contest she had kicked the game winner for a 2-1 victory.
With the score tied 1-1 in the 70th minute, Ayres worked hard toward the end line before turning and firing a cross.
The ball hit off the leg of Cougar defender Lucy Mohammadi just enough to redirect it past the goalkeeper into the right side to lift the Bulldogs to the win.
“We brought in Anna Ayres because we wanted to give Samantha (Stanfield) a five-minute break, she put some pressure on the girl and got a nice cross and got a deflection goal that went in,” Denholm said. “We talk all the time that it is a team effort. It is not just individuals, it is a team effort and tonight the team effort paid off and we got the win.”
The Bulldogs drew first blood on Thursday, Nov. 3, in the 12th minute when Cheyann Bartlett centered a pass to Stanfield. Stanfield settled the ball at the top of the box, made a quick turn and blasted a shot past the Seton goalkeeper.
The Cougars were able to create some pressure on Montesano late in the first half and Seton tied the match up in the 34th minute on a shot by Kya Gere. Riley McDonough was able to sprint up the right side and place a cross in to Gere who sneaked the ball past Monte goalkeeper Haylee Perkinson.
A small formation change made a huge difference for the Bulldogs in the second half. Montesano pulled a defender up into the midfield to try to possess the ball more and put pressure on the Cougars. The shift not only allowed Montesano to keep Seton without a quality shot in the second half, but Ayres’ goal was another result.
“We had a little talk at halftime and they picked up the intensity in the second half,” Denholm said. “We didn’t want to stay back with four (defenders) and not get a goal and go into overtime so that’s when we went to three back and decided to push a little bit forward to get that goal and it paid off.”
