Puyallup’s Ella Bach is The News Tribune’s All-Area soccer player of the year
The constant double teams, the consistent fouls, the mental games — Puyallup’s Ella Bach took it all in stride. In fact, she reveled in the attention she received from every opponent.
“They’re targeting me for a reason,” Bach said at Sparks Stadium this week. “I try to use that mentality of, ‘This is their way of shutting me down and I’m gonna try to figure out other ways to contribute to my team.’”
And she did, all of her career and all of her senior season for the Vikings, leading Puyallup back to the Class 4A state tournament this season. Bach, a forward and Clemson soccer commit, is The News Tribune’s All-Area player of the year for the second straight season.
She tallied 19 goals and a team-leading 14 assists for Puyallup this season on her way to being named the 4A South Puget Sound League MVP. The assist total stands out to longtime Puyallup coach Matt White.
“It’s very akin to the things we want out of a forward,” he said. “If you can get the team involved, things go better. That’s fantastic.”
It’s a trait Bach took pride in over her career.
“That’s always been my goal, to strive to make all of my teammates better,” Bach said. “Reaching these goals comes with hard work, but I never try to make it all about me. I try to encourage others, build people up along with myself.”
But when it was her time, the long-striding Bach made the most of her chances, beating defenders with tantalizing footwork and a powerful leg.
“Her ability on the ball, her foot skills, she’s got some Ronaldo moves,” White said. “She’s got some Messi. … The only way to stop her is to foul her.”
Bach said she wishes she could’ve played in a state championship game, but all in all, is happy with how her Puyallup career ended.
“I wanted to win state, but I’m grateful for every memory and experience I had here at Puyallup,” she said.
Next up: an orange jersey on the Clemson soccer team in South Carolina.
“I’m extremely excited,” Bach said. “It’s something I’ve looked forward to this entire year. I just can’t wait to get in their environment.”
Puyallup is a perennial contender, but Bach’s shoes will be tough to fill. White said Bach’s example should make an impression on the team’s younger players.
“Everybody just knows the expectation,” he said. “We didn’t make it to the finals, but it’s about, ‘Does the team see the example that you set?’ Does the team see, ‘This is who I aspire to be?’ Those are the things that matter.”
This story was originally published December 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
