A pair of sophomores provided the one-two punch that has the Columbia River girls soccer team headed to the district championship match.
Makayla Hundt and Remi Buckley scored in the first four minutes of the second half in Columbia River’s 2-0 semifinal win over W.F. West on Wednesday.
The home semifinal win sets up a clash against rival Ridgefield in the Class 2A District 4 championship match. That will be Saturday at 6 p.m. at Columbia River.
Despite several dangerous scoring chances, the 2A Greater St. Helens League champion Rapids entered halftime scoreless against W.F. West, which finished second in the Evergreen Conference.
That changed 90 seconds into the second half. Hundt beat her defender along the end line and scored from a tight angle.
Not two minutes later, Buckley added a goal with a low shot inside the left goalpost.
That those sophomores came up big was no surprise to Rapids coach Filly Afenegus.
“I’ve seen it from both of them all season long,” Afenegus said. “That response, it was only a matter of time.”
Columbia River applied the pressure right out of halftime. The objective was to get a goal that proved elusive in the first half, in which midfielder Meg Perkins had a shot hit the crossbar and another tipped over by Bearcats goalkeeper Charlee Nelson.
“We talked about finishing and that our touches in that final third had to be a lot better,” Hundt said. “I think it’s just that positive mindset that we’ve learned and also the grit that we have.”
“Filly was saying we had to come out strong, take our shots and put it all on the line,” Buckley added. “I think we did that.”
Columbia River (18-1-0) got another standout performance from a defense that has allowed just three goals all season. Wednesday’s shutout came despite missing top defender Peyton Dukes to injury.
Afenegus is hopeful the reigning 2A GSHL defensive MVP can play in Saturday’s match. Yet, the Rapids’ next-player-up mentality saw junior midfielder Julia Rapp take on Dukes’ role on Wednesday.
“It’s just a testament to the whole team,” Afenegus said. “Peyton is obviously a really special player and we miss her. But Julia has done a great job for us. I call her our Swiss army knife. I’ve played her in every position but center forward and goal. She always does a great job, not matter where we put her.”
With Wednesday’s win, Columbia River clinched its 12th consecutive state playoff berth. Since 2016, the Rapids have reached at least the state semifinals each time and won three championships.
Saturday’s match against the reigning state champion Spudders will be the third clash between the 2A GSHL rivals this season. Columbia River won the first 1-0 before Ridgefield got revenge with a 2-1 overtime win.
Along with trying to reclaim the district title from Ridgefield, Columbia River relishes having a state-playoff primer. That has often been the case in the 2A GSHL, which has seen River, Ridgefield and Hockinson combine for 14 state semifinal berths since 2014.
“You always want to be battle-tested going into state,” Afenegus said. “Our conference has been doing that for years and years. The games between us and Ridgefield have always been tight. It will be the same on Saturday.”
RIDGEFIELD 3, TUMWATER 0 — After a scoreless first half, the Spudders used a scoring surge to book a place in the district championship match.
Ellie Wilson, Tori Lasch and Nora Martin scored as Ridgefield (17-1-1) beat the Evergreen Conference champion Thunderbirds on the road.
HOCKINSON 4, WOODLAND 3, OT — Bridget Brennan scored a golden goal in overtime of a loser-out district match.
The winner was Brennan’s second goal. She converted a penalty kick early in the second half to tie the match 2-2.
Brooke Roberts also scored twice for Hockinson, which faces W.F. West in a winner to state, loser-out match on Saturday at Centralia High School.
Carly Coltrin, Lainey Hayden and Ruby Ingle scored for Woodland.
R.A. LONG 6, MARK MORRIS 0 — The Lumberjills rolled over their Longview rivals in a loser-out match. That sets up a winner-to-state, loser out match Saturday at Tumwater.
