MARYSVILLE – Kaitlynn Knocke might want to think about a career in firefighting. The junior goalkeeper put out one fire after another in Marysville Getchell’s district playoff soccer game against host Stanwood Saturday.

On Tuesday, MG beat Shorecrest 1-0 to become the first team from the school ever to make it to state. Saturday, with the score tied 2-2 after regulation plus two 5-minute overtime periods, the pressure mounted as Knocke took her position at goal for a shootout.

MG took a quick lead with senior forward Oshinaye Taylor booting it in. The Chargers missed their next two shots, falling behind 2-1. Senior midfielder Hayli Huhta tied it, but Stanwood regained the lead, making its third-straight shot.

The Chargers came right back and made it 3-3, but then neither of the next two shooters scored. MG regained the lead 4-3 on a goal by sophomore forward Veronika Taylor. Goalie Knocke made a couple of diving saves in the shootout, but a few other shots went right to her.

“They’re making it easy for me,” Knocke whispered, adding a few of them telegraphed their shots with their eyes.

After Stanwood tied it at 4-4, senior midfielder Hannah Jones calmly chipped her shot in to make it 5-4. The Spartans had a chance to tie it, but Knocke made a diving save to end the game as her teammate jubilantly ran onto the field to celebrate.

Stanwood ended its season 10-4-2, while MG improved to 8-3-4 and will advance in the playoffs. In their only meeting this year, the two teams tied 0-0 a few weeks ago.

For most of the first half it was 0-0 Saturday. MG actually was in possession of the ball most of the time, but Stanwood kept getting off more shots. Just 2:30 into the game Stanwood missed wide at an open net, and at the 10-minute mark they got a ball by Knocke, but sophomore midfielder Sophia Trujillo backed her up for the save. Sophomore midfielder Kortney Crane stole the ball, but her shot was wide left. Stanwood had a cross that was headed, just wide. Stanwood’s defenders and midfielders boomed kicks up to their forwards for good shots, while MG showed more ball control and got its best shots when switching the ball from one side of the field to the other.

At the 18-minute mark Huhta booted a long shot that almost made it into the upper left corner of the net. Finally, with 45 seconds left, a shot richocheted off someone’s leg and trickled by a diving Knocke to put the Spartans ahead 1-0.

Stanwood scored again to make it 2-0 within the first minute of the second half on a cross to the far post that was tapped in. The Spartans actually controlled the ball ymost of the second half, and kept knocking at the door, but Knocke kept making saves to keep MG in it. Finally, at about the 30-minute mark, MG had a free kick and when Stanwood’s goalie came out to try to get it, Huhta tapped one by her to make it 2-1.

At about the 10-minute mark Stanwood missed three shots that could have put the game out of reach. Instead, MG forward Oshinaye Taylor dribbled passed a defender and when the goalie slid in front of her to try to block the shot, Taylor booted it right by her to tie it 2-2 with seven minutes in regulation.

Stanwood almost scored the winner off a corner kick with about a minute to play, but the shot careened off the top of the cross bar.

Tuesday, Oshinaye Taylor scored in the 59th minute in a Class 3A District 1 semifinal at Edmonds Stadium.

MG advances to the district championship Saturday against Edmonds-Woodway, which beat Marysville-Pilchuck 1-0 in the other semifinal. The losing teams play Thursday, also in Edmonds. Goalie Knocke got the team’s eighth shutout of the season.

Cross country

The Arlington Eagles boys cross country team qualified for state by placing second overall in the district meet at South Whidbey High School Saturday. Marysville Getchell was eighth with 239 points and Marysville-Pilchuck eighth with 239.

The girls team just missed going by placing fourth with 100 points. MG was eighth again with 213 points.

For Arlington Dawson Andrews was fifth overall in 16 minutes, 38.95 seconds, followed in sixth place was Blake Landry in 16:40.97. Gregory Panther placed ninth for MG in a time of 16:45.55. Eagle Noah Loftis was 10th in 16:48.11, with teammate Favian Villanueva of Arlington 17:01.91.

For the girls, in sixth place was Mary Andrews of Arlington in 19:40.90, Jansyn Smith of Arlington was 20:12.70, and 20th was Paige Nelson in 20:16.40

In 2A, Lakewood boys were eighth and the girls sixth. Placing 25th was Adam Cross of Lakewood, 17:28.53. For the girls, Lakewood’s Madison Howe was 14th in 20:43.80; 18th was Callie Buchanan in 20:58.49. State is in Pasco this weekend.

Swimming

Top swimmers for the Marysville-Pilchuck, Marysville Getchell swim teams will compete at district in Snohomish this weekend.