As overtime began to seem inevitable, Jackson’s most dangerous scorers stepped up.
After being mired for 69 minutes in a physical, scoreless battle — filled with hard fouls and bruising tackles — the unbeaten Jackson High School girls soccer team finally connected. Sophomore forward Cara Wegner’s header goal on an assist from Brianna Ellis was all the offense Jackson needed in a 1-0 triumph over Lake Stevens on Nov. 2 in a winner-to-state Class 4A District 1 tournament game at Everett Memorial Stadium.
The diminutive Wegner scored with less than 11 minutes to go for Western Conference South champion Jackson (16-0-1), which earned its sixth straight state tournament appearance.
“It takes a lot of will. I just wanted any goal, any way it would go in,” said Wegner, whose 13th goal of the season tied her for the team lead with Megan Bolmes. On a restart, Bolmes passed to Ellis (Jackson’s No. 3 goal scorer), who crossed the ball into the goalie box to Wegner. With a quick head flick, Wegner knocked the ball past Lake Stevens goalkeeper Brianna Eney and inside the right post.
It was one of Jackson’s rare scoring chances in a gritty, defense-dominated clash. The Lake Stevens (10-6-1) “back line was phenomenal. (Senior defender Sandra Osborn) was great. She’s a player,” Jackson coach Mike Bartley said.
Jackson goalkeeper KC Wilson (one save) earned her sixth shutout of the season. Before state begins next week, the Timberwolves will play Wesco North No. 1 seed Monroe (11-4-2) for the district championship at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Shoreline Stadium. Monroe edged Kamiak (10-5-2) in penalty kicks on Monday in the other 4A District 1 winner-to-state game.
Lake Stevens, the Wesco North No. 2 seed, has a chance to snare the district’s third and final state berth but must win two straight games. The Vikings play a loser-out game against Edmonds-Woodway (10-4-3) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
Using an aggressive defensive strategy, Lake Stevens stayed even with Jackson and mostly shut down the high-powered T-wolves. “I felt like we stayed within the (defensive) game plan,” Lake Stevens coach Andy Knutson said, “and it was impressive to see that. We were trying to preserve a low-scoring game if we could and hope to get one in, or maybe get to a shootout.”
In the scoreless first half, there were just a handful of decent chances for both sides. The result was surely a confidence boost for Lake Stevens, considering Jackson came into the game unbeaten with 59 goals in 16 games.
“I feel like the whole thing was really intense,” Wegner said. “It picked up towards the end definitely because everyone wanted to score, but I think the intensity was a lot higher than most of the games.”
Osborn, a dominant defender, sparked Lake Stevens’ defensive effort in the first 40 minutes. She and her backline crew stifled attacks that came anywhere near the top of the goalie box. Vikings keeper Eney also played well. She made just one save, in the first minute, but ventured away from the net for some assertive plays.
The usually potent T-wolves tallied one shot in the first 18 minutes and four in the opening half (Lake Stevens had two). With less than 2 minutes to go in the half, Jackson appeared to have an excellent chance. Bolmes passed to Wegner near the top of the goalie box, but Wegner popped the ball up and right, and Denae Fitz was not able to take a shot before the keeper hustled over.
Playing Lake Stevens was good preparation for grinding, scrappy foes Jackson might play in the state tourney, coach Bartley said: “That’s the North style of play, the physical power game … where we play more speed and finesse and quickness and less physical.”
“At halftime I (said), ‘Come on. Either we play with them in this (style) or we’re in trouble. And the girls responded really well,” Bartley added.
Annie Thomas, a senior midfielder, was Lake Stevens’ most active and effective offensive threat. She had several nice possessions in the first half and in the 10th minute fired a hard 37-yard shot that zipped a little high and right.
Mike Cane writes for The Herald.
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