BRUSH PRAIRIE — To achieve a major goal for the season, the Prairie girls soccer team needed at least three goals Thursday.
Prairie got those and more. The Falcons’ 6-0 win over Fort Vancouver clinched their first Greater St. Helens League title since 2005.
Prairie and Columbia River end the season tied atop the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League at 5-1-0 as co-champions. But Prairie is the No. 1 seed to the bi-district tournament because of superior goal differential.
Thursday, Columbia River beat Kelso 4-2 at Kiggins Bowl in a match that ended shortly before Prairie’s began. The Falcons knew they needed to beat Fort by at least three goals to tie River with a plus-13 goal differential for the season.
Prairie scored four times in the first 20 minutes. Its defense didn’t allow a shot on goal the entire match.
“It means a lot,” senior midfielder Natalie Whitesel said. “Our senior class has worked really hard for four years to get where we are.”
As the GSHL’s No. 1 seed, Prairie advances to the state playoffs if it wins one of two matches it will play in the bi-district tournament.
Prairie opens that tournament on Nov. 5 against the Narrows League champion in Tacoma.
Columbia River also travels to Tacoma Nov. 5 to play the Narrows League No. 3 seed.
But the Chieftains must win two loser-out matches to reach state.
Prairie is happy to have a more-direct route to state. The past three years, the Falcons have been the No. 2 seed behind Columbia River and fallen one match short of advancing to state.
“Going into the season we knew we were going to have potential,” Whitesel said. “It was just a matter of working together.”
Kaili Brundage had one goal and four assists to lead Prairie. Kaylin Sperley had two goals.
Columbia River got early goals from Sophia Skimas and Sarah Kleier. But the Chieftains couldn’t put Kelso away until Katie Lee’s goal extended the lead to 4-2 with five minutes remaining.
“The second half we were a lot more aggressive with pressing the ball and keeping it,” said senior Alexis Dettling, who scored River’s third goal. “Having this win will help up push forward in the playoffs.”
