Skyline soccer second to Issaquah after KingCo title loss
November 10, 2009
By Christopher Huber
By Christopher Huber
As the Issaquah girls soccer team celebrated on the field with the mobbing fans Nov. 3, head coach Tom Bunnell reflected on the moment. Among all the big games he and the Eagles had won, this was possibly the greatest.
“They’re just fighters,” Bunnell said. “No matter what, we’re gonna pressure and fight.”
The Issaquah Eagles beat the Skyline Spartans 3-1 at Issaquah Stadium to take the 2009 KingCo 4A girls soccer title.
The match was a true Issaquah-Skyline battle that proved to be a test of endurance and alertness.
“We made too many mistakes tonight to put ourselves in a position to win. And that’s something we normally don’t do,” said Skyline head coach Don Braman. “We’ve just got to let this one behind us and move forward.”
Issaquah led 1-0 at halftime. Then, in the first three minutes of the second half, the teams exploded for a combined three goals.
It had been a back-and-forth tempo for the first 40 minutes. Issaquah’s first goal came off the foot of junior forward Margaret Rauch in the 26th minute when she snuck the ball in past a rushing Skyline goalkeeper, Jill Stika.
“We worked really hard, just came out … and we just worked our butts off,” Rauch said.
Rauch struck again for the Eagles in the 41st minute when a Skyline defender attempted to clear the ball from just a few feet in front of the goal on an Issaquah free kick. Rauch took the ball in mid-air and knocked it in the left side of the goal.
“She’s just a brawler. She’s always scrapping for everything she gets,” Bunnell said after the game. “That’s why she’s one of the leaders in the league in scoring. She’s the hardest working kid. She’s a difference maker on the field.”
Issaquah led 2-0.
The Issaquah defense held strong most of the second half.
But Skyline scored its first goal of the night less than a minute later. As the ball pinged around between a few players, Spartan junior forward Michelle Bretl tucked it in the left side of the goal, past Issaquah goalkeeper Brooke Miller.
Still ahead in the 43rd minute, the Eagles took advantage of a penalty kick opportunity. Senior midfielder Kristin Maris, the league leader in goals with 15, wound up and laced a shot past Skyline’s Tina Vargas for the game’s final goal.
“It was great that we responded with pressure right after that stuff,” Bunnell said.
Issaquah held the lead the rest of the night by beating Skyline to the ball and fielding a nearly impenetrable defense. Skyline had some looks throughout the second, but seemed to lose its speed and ball control.
“We definitely came out with an attitude and it’s exceeded all expectations this year,” Rauch said. “No one was expecting this. We just put it to the metal and are just going to keep going.”
Skyline advanced to the first round of the state tournament after beating Battle Ground 2-0 Nov. 7. Madi Barney, with help from Anna Morgan each time, scored both of Skyline’s goals, first in the 55th minute and then in the 65th minute. Jill Stika and Christina Vargas combined for the shutout.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242 or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.SammamishReview.com.
As the Issaquah girls soccer team celebrated on the field with the mobbing fans Nov. 3, head coach Tom Bunnell reflected on the moment. Among all the big games he and the Eagles had won, this was possibly the greatest.
“They’re just fighters,” Bunnell said. “No matter what, we’re gonna pressure and fight.”
Skyline junior midfielder Madi Barney jostles with Issaquah defenders for a header in the second half of the KingCo 4A championship game Nov. 3. Photo by Christopher Huber
The Issaquah Eagles beat the Skyline Spartans 3-1 at Issaquah Stadium to take the 2009 KingCo 4A girls soccer title.
The match was a true Issaquah-Skyline battle that proved to be a test of endurance and alertness.
“We made too many mistakes tonight to put ourselves in a position to win. And that’s something we normally don’t do,” said Skyline head coach Don Braman. “We’ve just got to let this one behind us and move forward.”
Issaquah led 1-0 at halftime. Then, in the first three minutes of the second half, the teams exploded for a combined three goals.
It had been a back-and-forth tempo for the first 40 minutes. Issaquah’s first goal came off the foot of junior forward Margaret Rauch in the 26th minute when she snuck the ball in past a rushing Skyline goalkeeper, Jill Stika.
“We worked really hard, just came out … and we just worked our butts off,” Rauch said.
Rauch struck again for the Eagles in the 41st minute when a Skyline defender attempted to clear the ball from just a few feet in front of the goal on an Issaquah free kick. Rauch took the ball in mid-air and knocked it in the left side of the goal.
“She’s just a brawler. She’s always scrapping for everything she gets,” Bunnell said after the game. “That’s why she’s one of the leaders in the league in scoring. She’s the hardest working kid. She’s a difference maker on the field.”
Issaquah led 2-0.
The Issaquah defense held strong most of the second half.
But Skyline scored its first goal of the night less than a minute later. As the ball pinged around between a few players, Spartan junior forward Michelle Bretl tucked it in the left side of the goal, past Issaquah goalkeeper Brooke Miller.
Still ahead in the 43rd minute, the Eagles took advantage of a penalty kick opportunity. Senior midfielder Kristin Maris, the league leader in goals with 15, wound up and laced a shot past Skyline’s Tina Vargas for the game’s final goal.
“It was great that we responded with pressure right after that stuff,” Bunnell said.
Issaquah held the lead the rest of the night by beating Skyline to the ball and fielding a nearly impenetrable defense. Skyline had some looks throughout the second, but seemed to lose its speed and ball control.
“We definitely came out with an attitude and it’s exceeded all expectations this year,” Rauch said. “No one was expecting this. We just put it to the metal and are just going to keep going.”
Skyline advanced to the first round of the state tournament after beating Battle Ground 2-0 Nov. 7. Madi Barney, with help from Anna Morgan each time, scored both of Skyline’s goals, first in the 55th minute and then in the 65th minute. Jill Stika and Christina Vargas combined for the shutout.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242 or chuber@isspress.com.
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