Laakso’s chemistry, selflessness the key for Peninsula girls soccer

After a Peninsula defensive free kick became anyone’s ball, Cat Laakso found it at her feet and took advantage.

The ball was passed around among both Peninsula and Emerald Ridge, and once the ball found Laakso, the Seahawks junior took a shot and found the back of the net, and extended Peninsula’s lead to 2-0 in the first half.

And it didn’t stop there; after a cross from team captain Chelsea Smith, Laakso netted Peninsula’s third goal of the night, en route to a 5-1 win for the girls soccer team in their season opener.

“We were communicating and definitely kept our composure,” Laakso said. “(We) controlled the pace of the game and made some simple passes just to keep control of the ball. We really kept our calm and were able to connect with each other really well on the field.”

In a season unlike any other, there’s a clear sense of positivity and chemistry among the Seahawks. There may have been pre game jitters, but Peninsula settled in almost immediately, scoring their first goal of the season in just the second minute. Tack on Laakso’s two goals, and the floodgates had officially opened.

If Peninsula wants to continue their winning ways, it’ll depend on their selflessness and willingness to create opportunities for their teammates, exactly what Laakso capitalized on.

“When we did some reflection... that was a key theme that the girls talked about,” Peninsula coach Kim Demianiw said. “There was a lot of support from each other and creativity, and Cat was on the end of that. There were some opportunities created for her and she was able to finish. That’s a really neat thing about Cat. When the opportunity is there, she’s able to take the opportunity and finish those goals. It was fun to see her put those balls in the back of the net. They were great goals.”

As if the pandemic failed to create enough scheduling difficulties, snow impeded Peninsula’s ability to practice after the official Feb. 8 start date. The Seahawks participated in the coaching period throughout the fall, but only met once during their regular season before opening night.

But it was a core group of players from last year’s squad -- in addition to a younger group that acquired their chemistry through experience together on club teams -- that helped the Seahawks hit the ground running in their first win.

“We scored in the second minute, and I think after that, we just started to settle in,” Demianiw said. “It became real. It was cool to go out and score early and find our rhythm right away. Ahead of time, we talked about (whether we) win or lose, we were just really grateful to be out on the pitch together.”

Peninsula went on to drop their second contest of their season in a 3-2 loss to Bellarmine Prep, but look ahead to an important week with matchups against Curtis and crosstown rival Gig Harbor.

Laakso sets up to be an important part of the Peninsula attack with her versatility on the offensive end; despite her preference to play as a left midfielder, Demianiw recognizes her value in the center of the field, and appreciates her openness -- and selflessness -- to move for the team’s benefit.

“I think (Cat’s) pretty versatile,” Demianiw said. “I’ve moved her around a little bit. She likes to play on the outside, but I moved her into a center midfielder role, and she just does it. She’s like ‘okay, coach’ and she goes right into that position. She is versatile that way, and she can finish from that position as well. She has some good chemistry with a couple of the other juniors on the team that she has played with a lot, and that will be really key for us.”

This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 6:00 AM.