EDMONDS – Some things are inevitable.
For example, the persistent Jackson High School girls soccer team will score goals.
The Mountlake Terrace Hawks held first-place Jackson scoreless in the first half Tuesday night. But, led by Kristi Kingma (two goals) and Laura Hernandez (one goal, one assist), the Timberwolves heated up in the second half and defeated Terrace 3-0 in a Western Conference South Division game at Edmonds District Stadium.
“Those two up front are exciting to watch,” Jackson coach Mike Bartley said of Kingma and Hernandez, who worked well together all night, particularly in the final 40 minutes.
Kingma, who has 13 goals this season, scored Jackson’s second goal in the ninth minute of the second half. Later, she capped the scoring with another goal – a header on a nice pass from Hernandez – with 4:10 to go.
Bartley, whose team improved to 12-1 in the Wesco South and overall, said the duo calmed down and made more precise attacks in the second half.
“It’s getting better as the season goes along,” said Hernandez, who scored Jackson’s first goal, of her teamwork with Kingma.
Goalkeeper Dee Wood, a four-year starter, earned her ninth shutout of the season and the 30th of her career for Jackson.
The victory pushed Jackson one step closer to what would be its fourth consecutive division title, and its second straight outright. A Jackson victory on Thursday, or a Shorewood (9-3-1) loss locks up first place. The Thunderbirds are in second place.
“They want this bad,” Bartley said of his players, who play Kamiak on Thursday.
In a game that featured two of the area’s most outstanding goalkeepers – Jackson’s Wood and Terrace’s Miranda Hanson – Jackson found plenty of offense. But Hanson, a Seattle University recruit, performed well, making 11 saves, including two spectacular first-half stops, to keep Terrace (7-5-1) close.
Jackson dominated the first half and generated two excellent scoring chances in the opening 10 minutes. In the seventh minute, Kingma centered the ball to Caitlin Naethe, who directed a shot toward the right post. Hanson quickly dove to her left and made a superb stop.
Less than two minutes later, Kingma maneuvered near the net and fired a shot from 8 yards that looked like a sure goal. But Hanson stabbed at the ball with her right foot and deflected it out of the penalty box, stifling another Jackson charge.
Jackson ultimately got rolling. But the Hawks, who still have a chance to earn one of the division’s four Class 4A District 1 tournament berths with three games to play, put up a fight.
“Everybody’s tired (at this point in the season),” Hanson said, “but we’re all trying really hard.”
Jackson’s relentless offense tallied 12 first-half shots, seven more than Terrace. And none of the Hawks’ five shots posed a significant threat.
Hanson made six saves in the first 40 minutes.
For the game, Jackson racked up 29 shots. Terrace had 12.
“Jackson just has a good core of players and they put on the pressure,” Hanson said.
At Edmonds-Woodway H.S.
Goals-Jackson: Hernandez, Kingma 2. Assists-Jackson: Naethe, Bolmes, Hernandez. Goalkeepers-Jackson: Wood. Mountlake Terrace: Hanson. Records-Jackson 12-1 in division and overall. Mountlake Terrace 7-5-1, 7-5-1.
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