The Tahoma girls soccer team stunned the nation’s top-ranked high school team, two-time defending state champion Skyline, with a 1-0 victory in the Class 4A state semifinals at Harry E. Lang Stadium on Friday night.
The Bears shocked the previously unbeaten Spartans with a goal in the fourth minute, as senior forward Sarah Jeric scored in traffic from the box in front of the goal.
“It was the most slow-motion thing of my life,” Jeric said of how the goal set up.
A pass from Cassidy Richmond chipped off a Skyline defender toward Jeric, who slipped around another player to get her shot off toward the far post.
“I shot and aimed for the corner,” Jeric said. “I seriously thought it skipped wide. I closed my eyes for a while and then I was surrounded by my teammates.”
It was just the fifth goal given up by Skyline, a Sammamish school with 13 shutouts and ranked No. 1 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
The Bears (20-1-0) celebrated the goal and then furiously defended their lead for the remainder of the match.
The Spartans applied heavy pressure and created seven scoring opportunities, including a shot off the crossbar in the final minutes.
“We got real fortunate tonight,” Tahoma coach Jason Johnson said, “because they were driving opportunity on opportunity on the frame.”
But with Amber Woolcock in goal, the Bears notched the shutout and advanced to today’s 4 p.m. championship game against SPSL North rival Kentwood.
Tahoma is in its first final since 2005, when it won the last of its three state titles.
Skyline (18-1-0) will play Skyview at noon today for third and fourth places.
Kentwood 2, Skyview 1 (8-7 shootout): The Conquerors (17-3-1) finally broke through to the state championship match after a nine rounds of a shootout to break the tie.
“That was incredible,” Kentwood coach Aaron Radford said. “I was actually relaxed going into the shootouts.”
Goalkeeper Courtney Johnson made two saves in the shootout, and when Mykala Benjamin converted the final kick to the lower left, the Conquerors finally defeated the Storm (14-2-3), which had forced overtime on Sheaffer Skadsen’s goal in the 78th minute.
Kentwood junior midfielder Megan McNally scored in the 35th minute when her 23-yard shot beat Skyview goalkeeper Hannah Johnson at the far post.
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