A year ago, when they shared the Class 2A Greater St. Helens League award as outstanding offensive player, Rylee Seekins and Taryn Ries were rivals who were linked by their ability to produce goals for their high school soccer teams.
That hasn’t changed this fall. Seekins, a junior, is creating goals in bunches for Hockinson. Ries, a sophomore, is playing a central role for Ridgefield. And the Spudders and Hawks are again the top two teams in the league.
“We talk about wanting to beat each other all the time,” Ries admitted. “But at the end of the day, we’re best friends.”
The friendship was born after last season. Seeking a new club soccer challenge, Ries joined FC Portland in December. Seekins was already playing there, on a team coached by University of Portland coach Garrett Smith. With their ability to create goals and the Clark County connection, it didn’t take long for the high school rivals to hit it off.
“We always challenge each other,” Seekins said. “We always talk about our games with each other.”
In the first clash of this high school season, Ries’ Ridgefield team prevailed in overtime against Hockinson — despite three second-half goals for Seekins who already has 24 goals and 11 assists this season and career totals of 53 goals and 40 assists for Hockinson.
Ries has 11 goals and 13 assists so far in 2014 after scoring 20 times and adding nine assists as a Ridgefield freshman.
Clearly, Seekins and Ries don’t take high school soccer for granted. Each credits her high school coach for challenging her and helping her become a better player.
As much as the results mirror each other, Seekins and Ries are different players. Seekins is 5 feet tall and relies on her quickness and tenacity to terrorize opponents. Ries is taller, a strong athlete who can also run past opponents.
Ries is, says Hockinson coach Zack Goldfinch, a tremendous athlete, “not somebody you can mark with one player and completely shut down.”
The approach to containing Seekins, according to Ridgefield coach Robby Trimbo, is to deny her the ball.
“When Rylee gets the ball, (defenders) need patience and not give her as much space as she wants.”
Goldfinch calls Seekins one of the most driven and humble players he’s coached. He said she is always refining her game, working to get better, not celebrating her accomplishments.
“She may be 5-foot-nothing but she plays like she’s 6 feet tall,” Goldfinch said.
“Winning balls in the air is challenging, but you’ve got to be tough off the ball, and not get pushed around,” Seekins said.
Seekins said that she has improved her possession skills and her decision making since last season. Oh, and as those goals indicate, her shot is better, too.
Ries’s big improvement is her mental approach, something she learned needed work in April during a week at a U.S. Soccer age-group national camp. The invitation to the U.S. Women’s under-15 April national team camp came after national team coaches watched FC Portland at a showcase tournament. Ries said she was nervous and could have played better, but is benefitting from the experience.
Trimbo said Ries is significantly more mature as a player than she was as a freshman.
“She’s developed a ton,” the Spudders coach said. “You can see it in the assists. She’s not trying to do it all herself. Last year she could because she caught everyone by surprise and she’s a phenomenal athlete. The difference this year she’s managed to connect to every other player.”
Her connection with Seekins should help FC Portland compete in the Elite Clubs National League.
“I can find her runs and she knows where I am on the field,” Seekins said. “I know how to feed her the ball and she knows how to feed me the ball as well.”
Twice so far, Ries has scored for FC Portland by heading corner kicks delivered by Seekins.
That’s a connection Seekins and Ries hope will continue beyond their high school years. Though they are too young to commit to a college, Seekins and Ries have both said they intend to play at the University of Portland.
