The W.F. West girls soccer team got the better of Black Hills at home on Tuesday, when the Bearcats topped the Wolves 3-2 in a back-and-forth clash of the EvCo’s top two teams.
“It had a playoff intensity to it,” W.F. West coach Kevin Schultz said. “Lots of intensity. We really liked that.”
Izzy Teeter opened the scoring off an assist from Sophia Abbarno in the 13th minute of the game, but Black Hills equalized just 11 minutes later when Hailey Moxham headed in a long throw-in from Natalie Jarmin.
Teeter broke the tie again in the 56th minute off an assist from Mirabel Burger, and Burger made it 3-1 after an assist from Jana Anderson in the 67th minute.
On all three of their goals, the Bearcats timed their runs almost perfectly, which got them through Black Hills’ attempted offsides traps.
“There were some times we got caught (offsides),” Schultz said. “But we were excited to use our speed and take advantage of that.”
The Wolves didn’t go quietly, though, as they cut the deficit in half just five minutes later when Sienna Perry’s free kick made its way to Ella McNair, who found the back of the net to make it 3-2.
Black Hills pressed for an equalizer in the final minutes, but W.F. West was able to see out the game and earn the victory.
Just one week after giving up a last-minute equalizer against Centralia, W.F. West coach Kevin Schultz said it was great to see his group rebound and make the necessary corrections to secure a win.
“I think that was huge for us,” Schultz said.
Schultz credited several players, including Anderson, who he said made a massive impact offensively off the bench. He also credited Kenley Fragner and the rest of his back line, saying that the way they have been defending in the run of play has been “very encouraging.”
Now at 5-0-1 in league play, the Bearcats lead Black Hills by four points in the EvCo standings with four league games to play.
The league title is a long way from clinched, but Schultz said that he’s hopeful that this win can propel them into the final stretch of the regular season.
The Bearcats (10-0-3) will head to Tumwater on Thursday, the same evening that Black Hills (6-4-2, 4-2-0 2A EvCo) will travel to Shelton.
