With five seniors on the roster, the King’s Way Christian girls soccer is a fairly young squad.
But the Knights have done a lot of growing up over the past five weeks.
“It’s been a lot different,” junior Annabelle Atwood said of the abbreviated late-winter soccer season. “But I think it has brought us a lot closer just because of all the things we’ve had to push through and the longer wait to get the season. It’s been great to push through and get some wins.”
A thrilling 4-3 win over La Center last week gave the Knights the Trico League title. And on Monday night, they opened the district playoffs with a solid 5-1 over Hoquiam.
King’s Way Christian wasted little time putting the pressure on the visiting Grizzlies. After a foul in the box, freshman Allison Smith converted the penalty kick for a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute.
Smith found the back of the net twice more, but both goals were nullified by offsides calls.
Then in the 26th minute, Sophia Rubiano fed Atwood with a breakaway pass, and Atwood shot it off Hoquiam goalkeeper Katie Burnett and into the goal for a 2-0 lead.
The early advantage allowed the Knights to bring their George Fox-bound senior goalkeeper Sara Thudium out in the field, as sophomore Ella Rounsley defended the goal in the second half.
Atwood got her second goal of the night when she headed in a pass from Valerie Knight in the 60th minute to make it 3-0. Freshman Alivia Sand made it 4-0 in the 61st minute.
Thudium capped the evening with a goal in the 79th minute.
“Do it for the seniors is the main goal this week,” Atwood said. “But, we’re a family, so we also are doing it for each other.”
King’s Way Christian will host Tenino in the district semifinals on Wednesday.
