MOUNT VERNON – Ashley Reinig picked the perfect way to celebrate her birthday.
Reinig celebrated her 17th birthday by scoring the game-winning goal and leading Archbishop Murphy to a 1-0 victory over Sultan in the 2A District 1 championship game Saturday at Mount Vernon High School.
Reinig scored the lone goal in the 68th minute, making a quick move to the right and driving the ball into the corner of the goal from about 30 yards out.
The Wildcats had opportunities to score in the first half, keeping the ball in Sultan’s half of the field for much of the half.
It was a much tougher game than Archbishop Murphy had expected.
The Wildcats swept the season series against the Turks 2-0, outscoring them 7-1 during the regular season.
“It was much closer than I thought. We were in their half of the field for most of the first half,” Archbishop Murphy coach Pat Jack said.
The Turks surprised the Wildcats in the second half, picking up their defense and striking fear into the Wildcats.
“In the second half they came out strong and their defense really picked up. This was as strong as I’ve seen Sultan,” Jack said.
Goalkeeper Alicia Bourke made a couple of key stops in the second half for Murphy.
Bourke and Lauren Jelinek, who kept goal in the first half, gave the Wildcats their fourth straight shutout and 15th of the season.
In the end, however, it was Reinig’s birthday gift to herself and to her teammates that was the difference in the game.
Both teams qualified for the state tournament, which starts next week. Archbishop Murphy plays Toledo in its first-round game at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Everett Memorial Stadium.
At Mount Vernon
Goals-Archbishop Murphy: Reinig. Goalkeepers-Sultan: Sumpter. Archbishop Murphy: Jelinek and Bourke. Records-Sultan 11-7 overall. Archbishop Murphy 16-3.
Boys soccer
Snohomish County Christian 1, Lopez 0: Snohomish County Christian survived a loser-out, third-place District 1 playoff game thanks to a goal by Kyle Mallory and sterling goalkeeping by Brandon Doucet, who made 17 saves. SCC plays Overlake Tuesday at Interlake High School in a winner-to-state, loser-out tri-district game.
At Mountlake Terrace
Goals-SCC: Mallory. Goalkeepers-Lopez: not reported. SCC: Doucet. Records-Lopez 7-9 overall. SCC 9-9.
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