Kamiak beats Snohomish 3-2 in 4A District 1 soccer playoff game

Published 10:47 pm Tuesday, November 4, 2014

SNOHOMISH — The referee presiding over the Kamiak-Snohomish high school soccer game had a little difficulty blowing his whistle to end regulation Tuesday night.

It’s possible he didn’t want the action to end.

In a back-and-forth thriller, Kamiak scored two goals in a five-minute span between the end of regulation and the first two minutes of overtime and prevailed 3-2 Tuesday night in a 4A District 1 playoff game at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Down 2-1 in the game’s final minutes, Kamiak freshman Kamryn Adcock got the ball in a frenzy in front the Snohomish goal and put it in the back of the net to tie the score in the 78th minute and send the Knights into a celebration.

That celebration was reignited a few minutes later when, in the 82nd minute, Kailin Wiley — another Kamiak freshman — netted the game-winner with her second goal of the contest to clinch the victory and a berth in the district championship game Thursday.

“(Trailing) before overtime, it’s get everything forward. Don’t make it fancy,” Kamiak coach Beth Stewart said. “Work to get a corner, work to get the ball forward and they did just that, which is fantastic. I don’t care if it looks pretty in overtime, I just want to get the ball toward the goal.”

Wiley scored the first and last goal of the game for Kamiak. The forward gave the Knights an early lead with a goal in the 17th minute and ended the game two minutes into overtime off an assist from Alexie Morris.

“She’s doing really well,” Stewart said of Wiley. “She’s very speedy and she’s tough to defend because she’s just so dynamic up top. She’s going to be a fun player to watch over the next three years. I’m excited I have her.”

Kamiak had to rally after Snohomish took the lead with two second-half goals. Panthers senior Kaytlin Willis tied the score with a penalty kick in the 60th minute and Ellie Otteson put Snohomish ahead 10 minutes later on a free kick that deflected off a Kamiak defender and into the Knights’ goal.

Snohomish’s lead held up for eight minutes as Stewart sent five forwards up in an effort to score an equalizer.

“I had everybody up,” Stewart said. “With five minutes we just have to go for it.”

Before the overtime period began both teams had chances to score in the final two minutes. A Snohomish shot sailed above the Kamiak goal and the Knights again had the ball deep in Snohomish territory but couldn’t put it away.

“I thought we did a great job,” said Snohomish head coach April VanAssche. “I think we played a really good game. We possessed most of the game and had plenty of opportunities. My girls played with a lot of heart. It’s one of those disappointing finishes but I’m proud of my team. They played well tonight.

“Really, my team gave everything I could have asked for tonight. I thought we had it a couple times. If anything, that just shows what soccer’s about. You can’t stop until the final whistle.”

Snohomish was turned away by Kamiak goalkeeper Shannon Peth on more than one occasion. The junior keeper made several diving saves to help the Knights keep pace with Snohomish.

“I thought my keeper had a phenomenal game,” Stewart said. “She made some incredible saves. I think she definitely kept us in the game the whole time.”

Kamiak will face Jackson, which defeated Mount Vernon 1-0 Tuesday night, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night in the district championship game at Goddard Stadium. Snohomish will face Mount Vernon in a loser-out game at 5:30, also at Goddard Stadium, with the winner advancing to a winner-to-state game against the loser of Kamiak-Jackson.

The Panthers can still make the state tournament with two more victories.

“What’s important, what I told them in the locker room was, ‘What is next? What are we going to do from here?’” VanAssche said. “‘An athlete and a competitor will take this and turn it into some fuel and get something going.’”

The Snohomish coach, who said her team will work on “just fixing the little things,” wasn’t opposed to taking on the Knights again in the district playoffs.

“I wouldn’t mind it,” VanAssche said.

At Veterans Memorial Stadium, Snohomish

Goals–Kailin Wiley (K) 2, Kamryn Adcock (K), Kaytlin Willis (S), Ellie Otteson (S). Assists–Jenny Wrobel (K), Wiley (K), Alexie Morris (K). Goalkeepers–Kamiak: Shannon Peth. Snohomish: Niki Denk, Taylor Knapinski. Records–Kamiak 12-5-1 overall. Snohomish 11-5-1.