Player personnel may change annually, but what doesn’t seem to change is Columbia River girls soccer team’s success come postseason: winning district titles and reaching the state playoffs.
The Chieftains earned their third straight district title as a 2A program behind a 3-0 shutout of Mark Morris in Thursday’s all-2A Greater St. Helens League match at Chieftain Stadium.
River (12-5-1) is the No. 1 seed, and hosts a first-round 2A state playoff game next Tuesday or Wednesday against the loser of Saturday’s Olympic/Fife match out of District 3. That first-round match will be played at Kiggins Bowl, athletic director Tony Liberatore said.
Reaching the state playoffs is all players like senior goalkeeper Liz Canton know too well. River’s now reached state eight consecutive years in Class 2A and before that, 3A.
“I love being a part of this program,” Canton said. “We’ve come a long way since the beginning of the season, and we’ve started playing better, scoring more goals and getting more shutouts.
“We’re coming together as a team and now is the time.”
It’s been quite the past two weeks for the Chieftains. At one stretch, they sat in fourth place in the 2A GSHL, but climbed to second by the regular-season finale behind their own wins coupled with help from other teams.
River coach Filly Afenegus stressed the glass as half-full approach to his team. Win, lose or draw, the players said, always find ways to improve and learn despite a defeat. Four of River’s five losses came in league play.
Julia Cash, whose goal in the 72nd minute off a rebound made it 3-0, said that was all the motivation her and her teammates needed.
“It gave us a kick and push to keep going and to push through,” Cash said.
River and Mark Morris split their two regular-season meetings, but the Chieftains won the Oct. 20 regular-season finale, 3-0, in Longview.
River and Mark Morris split their two regular-season meetings, but the Chieftains won the Oct. 20 regular-season finale, 3-0, in Longview.
Thursday, it was more of the same. River scored all three goals in the second half by Reggie Griffith (52nd minute), Shalece Easley (68th) and Cash (72nd). That set the stage for an impressive district-tournament run. River’s defense failed to allow a goal in all three district games: a 5-0 first-round win over W.F. West, followed by a 1-0 shutout of 2A Evergreen Conference champion Tumwater in Tuesday’s semifinals before Thursday’s win.
River’s now won five straight dating back to the final regular-season week that includes four shutouts.
All three district games, goalkeepers Canton and Alex Schulz and the defense haven’t allowed a goal. Canton made one save on Mark Morris’ first shot on goal in the 59th minute.
By that point, River’s lead bloomed to 3-0 and might have been higher had the ball bounces another way. River totaled 11 corner kicks and had two more shots bounce in-between the crossbar, but didn’t cross the plank for a goal. Mark Morris keeper Anuka Rodman made 12 saves.
For a program that’s played in back-to-back state championship games, they hope the late-season momentum is a sign for things to come as the state playoffs approach.
Said Easley: “Hopefully we can go as far as we can.”
