MARYSVILLE — The Tomahawks snuck past the Chargers in a Tuesday, Oct. 1, girls soccer game at Marysville Getchell, in a 2-1 crosstown rivalry win.
“I think that the two teams are about as evenly matched as you can get,” said Marysville-Pilchuck head coach Paul Bartley. “If you look at their record, and what we’ve done in league versus what they have done, we are almost a mirror image.”
The evenly matched 3A teams have faced each other twice before, in 2012, and each took one victory,
“When we played them at our place, they won 1-0,” said Bartley. “Then when we played at their field, we won 3-0. We face them again in the last game of the season and it could be for the North championship.”
MG head coach Wayne Nash said he wasn’t upset about the loss.
“There are still a lot of connections between MG and M-P, and the girls really like each other,” he said. “The rivalry is really strong already, and they have a skilled team. I wanted to see a hard-fought battle and not a dirty hack fest. I was very pleased. I thought it was a well-fought game.”
MG’s Kelsee Crenshaw scored the first goal of the night on a penalty kick, putting the Chargers in the lead.
“In the first half, they barely got out of our half. We dominated the first half and they dominated the second half,” said Nash. “I lost two core seniors at halftime. They came in slightly injured, so we decided to rest them, and we lost a lot of possession in the second half.”
It was in the second half that M-P’s Amanda Klep netted the first Tomahawk goal of the night to tie the game.
“For both teams, the defenses played extremely well. It really comes down to who gets the best strike on frame ends up winning,” said Bartley. “In the first half they had the wind with them, and even that little 8-10 mph breeze makes a difference on which end the ball stays in.”
In the second half, the Tommies had the wind at their backs, and neither team scored by the end of 80 minutes. The game went into overtime and it could have been anyone’s victory.
“Brittany Anderson scored the winning goal,” said Bartley, of the sophomore. “There were five freshman that played a lot on varsity last year and she was one of them. Brittany’s shot was about 35 yards out and she ended up making a run from the outside midfield. The assist came from our freshman, Jessica Moskowitz. I think it might be her first assist. She plays all the time and she starts at center midfield.”
Bartley was proud of the team for the victory, extending their four-game winning streak.
“We really came together as a team,” he said. “We did play the ball on the ground in the second half and I think that helped because we were playing the ball too much in the air in the first half. It was a team effort. We didn’t win because of one or two individuals. That was one of the best team games that we have played. One thing I do want to mention is Emily Dunston, our junior goalkeeper, has in the first four games allowed only one goal, and that was that PK.”
Nash is proud of the way his team is developing this season.
“We are a third-year varsity program and our program has really gelled,” he said. “The seniors that we have now, I have had for three years. They all play at really high levels outside of high school, so their leadership and on-field skill is what is really helping us be a contender this year in every game. Last year, we worked really hard on making traditions that are Getchell traditions, and that really makes them feel that it’s our school. As freshmen they feel it’s a real program, not a thrown-together program.”
The Chargers returned eight varsity players, including five seniors — set captains Victoria Lentz and Matti Norton, and alternating captains Ashlei Ryan, Bailie Weikel and Kelsee Crenshaw.
“I wanted all five seniors to be captains because I respect all of their opinions,” said Nash. “We have a lot of freshmen and they are quality players. I think that’s a big change too — a lot of the freshmen have played at high levels, which challenges the upper grades.”
Several of those upperclassmen have freshman sisters on the team — an interesting dynamic that Nash said has been helpful.
“Kelsee Crenshaw’s younger sister Gabriella, Bailey Weikel’s sister Lindsey, and one of my juniors, Marina Wika, has a younger sister Carley on the team. I wasn’t sure how that was going to work out, but it is working out really well and they all get along,” said Nash. “It seems to be a really positive thing. My seniors are all excellent leaders, and for them to be role models for their freshman sisters is great. Marina is someone I am considering for a captain next year, and I think that they are molding the freshman class in the right direction. It’s very positive and makes me very happy.”
The Chargers have some goals for the season that they already have started to accomplish.
“This season, they wanted to be more successful as far as wins and losses, and continuing what was making us successful the second year,” said Nash. “We are growing the family mentality that we are here for each other. I am continuing to talk to them about making it to state and putting a banner in our gym. Sometimes teams get afraid of winning. There are more girls playing on the team at a higher level outside of high school. The higher level you play, the more you’re learn that success is something you achieve through practice and mental preparation.”
The Chargers have been successfully increasing wins this season — the loss to M-P was their first league loss — but they will have to work on mental preparation as they gear up to face the teams of the South.
“We have to get some points against the top teams in the South,” said Nash. “We played Mountlake Terrace last week and it was a good win for us. But we need to compete against Shorecrest, Meadowdale and other top teams. Wins may not be as important as a level of play, and really competing all 80 minutes. Of course I want to win every game, but knowing they are competing for all 80 minutes is what is most important.”
The Chargers host Glacier Peak on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m. The Tomahawks prepare for an away game at Shorecrest on Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
