Heikkila shines as Gig Harbor tops rival Peninsula for 3A district soccer title
It didn’t take long for one thing to become clear in the Class 3A District 3/4 girls soccer championship game at Mount Tahoma on Nov. 7: Peninsula’s defense had no answers for Gig Harbor junior forward Karrin Heikkila.
Heikkila, who is also a star track athlete for the Tides, used her blazing speed to carve up the Peninsula back line from the start, scoring a pair of goals in the first half. She was involved in the third, too, beating a defender down the left sideline and sending a cross that eventually led to a rebound goal for teammate Elizabeth Hayes.
“It was really exciting,” Heikkila said. “I had some great balls from my teammates, couldn’t have done it without them and I just tried to run as fast as I can and get there.”
At half, Gig Harbor led 3-0 and cruised to a 3-1 win. One Tides player did a somersault on the sideline during the halftime break, a sign of a carefree team that felt in complete control of the game.
“The locker room, we were so excited,” Heikkila said. “We came out hyped up and we knew if we just focused and controlled the game, then we’d get a win. So we just tried to do that.”
Peninsula scored in the 64th minute, a goal for Heidi Tenzler off a goalkeeper deflection to get the Seahawks on the scoreboard, but it never felt like the Tides were in danger of losing.
The win gave Gig Harbor a clean sweep of its crosstown rivals this season. Both teams are safely through to the state tournament. Gig Harbor has been close to perfect this year, posting a 15-1-1 record and an undefeated run through the 3A Puget Sound League. The lone blemish in league came against Central Kitsap, a scoreless draw.
“Our team chemistry this year is just unbeatable,” Heikkila said. “We have the best we’ve ever had. Everyone just loves each other and it’s just been so much fun. The fun contributes to wins.”
Winning the bidistrict championship by beating the crosstown rival Seahawks? That makes it even sweeter.
“That means everything,” Heikkila said. “We’re always more nervous, we have everyone we know coming out to watch, so it’s just a lot more pressure. But it’s so much more fun, more fun than the other games, for sure.”
Gig Harbor figures to be a high seed in the 3A state tournament; the Tides are undefeated against 3A opponents heading into the postseason. If the ball bounces their way, this year’s group hopes it can follow in the footsteps of the 2018 Gig Harbor team and win the 3A state championship this season.
“I think we have a big chance,” Heikkila said. “We play our best and get it done, I think we have a really good chance this year. Big things coming.”
This story was originally published November 7, 2024 at 10:02 PM.
