For Katie Colson, the decision to play soccer her senior season at Columbia River was an easy one.
Even after missing all of her junior season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. And even after doctors warned her of the risks of reinjuring it. And, on top of that, after tweaking her same knee the week before tryouts in August forced her to miss the first three games of the season.
Colson was determined.
“My doctor basically said if I wanted to be super smart to sit out the season,” Colson said. “But ultimately it was up to me, and I don’t regret it one bit.”
It’s paid off for the Chieftains, who have defaulted to their backline many times. The decision to play this season is playing off for Colson, too, as River (18-2-1) heads north to faces White River of Buckley in the Class 2A state semifinals at Shoreline Stadium on Friday.
Many competitors would describe being sidelined with an injury as difficult.
Colson is no different.
She tore her ACL four days before tryouts during her junior season during a game of capture the flag, which the Chieftains played as a part of a team-building exercise (a tradition River did not continue into this past preseason). She had surgery in September and then spent the rest of the season recovering and doing physical therapy. And from the bench, Colson watched the 2016 Chieftains roll to a 2A state championship.
Competing is what makes it extra special this year for Colson. That, she says, and the tight-knit nature of this year’s team.
But the prospect of her returning to play this season wasn’t always a sure thing. She reinjured her same knee right before the season started and missed the first three games. In the fourth game, over a year after the ACL tear, there was question as to whether she should start.
“She was adamant,” coach Filomon Afenegus said. “I was honestly a little tentative about letting her play. I didn’t want her to go back through that whole recovery phase she’d worked so hard for. But she’s very stubborn and she really wanted it.”
Colson started, and scored the game-winning goal on a header. It helped her regain the confidence in her knee and spend less time worrying about another injury.
“All my nervousness turned to excitement,” Colson. “That was the best feeling in the world.”
River’s attack had to replace Ellie Walker, the now-University of Portland defender who scored 26 goals for the Chieftains last season. Sophomore forward Shalece Easley and senior forward Sophia Skimas have contributed 14 goals apiece this season.
But it’s the defense that didn’t allow a goal for the last five games of the regular season, and only one goal this entire postseason.
“We’ve worked really hard on staying compact and communicating with each other,” Colson said.
The senior, who hopes to pursue a career in environmental health, deflects credit to her co-center defender, Sophie Landers, and the two full backs, Sarah Givvines and Lucy Ianello, when pressed on how the Chieftains’ back line has found success shutting down teams.
“It’s been huge (having Colson back),” Afenegus said. “The defense has been the backbone of our group, and she’s a very, very big part of it. Extremely intelligent and she’s a very, very good leader.”
Sure, River’s back line has made its name stopping opposing attacks. But its shift in approach during the playoffs has helped prevent fluke goals, and costly mistakes.
“If there’s any question about whether or not you can control a ball, just playing it safe is more the mentality,” Colson said. “More clearances and trying to get it to the forwards earlier.”
It’s what makes the few goals the Chieftains allow particularly frustrating for Colson. When Clarkston scored a tying goal in the first round, her heart dropped. Same with the quarterfinals, when a Bellingham forward toppled over goalkeeper Liz Canton resulting in a goal — a goal that was called back due to a foul.
“It was that wake-up call like, ‘I don’t want this season to end,’ ” she said. “We have to go further than this.”
Her reasoning goes beyond just the result on the field.
When going through sleeping arrangements for the trip north this weekend, Colson realized that she had no preference of who to room with — personifying the special bond that many on the River roster describe the team to have.
“It’s more just for my friends on the team more than anything at this point,” Colson said. “They’re all amazing and I love every single one of them. That’s what I try to tell them before every game, too.”
