MUKILTEO — The Kamiak and Lake Stevens girls soccer teams have been neck-and-neck all season long as the two top Wesco 4A teams.
It didn’t change much during the final match of the regular season Tuesday as the Vikings took down the Knights 4-2 to earn a shared league title with Kamiak. Lake Stevens’ only regular season loss came at the hands of the Knights on Oct. 3, when Kamiak took a 1-0 win.
“That’s how we play Kamiak in almost every game,” Lake Stevens coach Sam Ford said. “It’s been pretty back-and-forth, we’ve beat the same teams in conference and non-conference. We expected a fight, but I was confident our girls would put it together if they played their game.”
After an injury-riddled 5-6-3 campaign last fall, the Vikings (10-2, 7-1-0) secured a share of their first league title since 2010.
“Injuries just plagued us last season,” Ford said. “We were competitive, but we knew after the first four or fives games that it was gonna be a different type of season. But, we had a lot of strength returning and some additional freshmen and sophomores who’ve helped fill some of those gaps for us. … I think they’re ready and strong enough to make a little bit of a run.”
It’s also the first league title since 2010 for Kamiak, which could’ve clinched an outright title with a win or draw.
Lake Stevens’ Olivia Fast (10) and Kamiak’s Emma Barrett (12) fight for the ball during a game between Lake Stevens and Kamiak at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023. Lake Stevens won, 4-2. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Freshman forward Noelani Tupua came through with two pivotal goals for the Vikings, delivering key shots in the 11th and 60th minutes.
Kamiak (10-4-2, 7-1-0) got on the board in the third minute, as junior Delaney Deckett netted the first score to give the Knights an early 1-0 edge.
After Lake Stevens senior Maya Courtenay broke a 1-1 tie with a goal in the 28th minute, the Vikings held a 2-1 lead at the midway point.
The Knights came out of intermission with an early score, as junior Britney Nelson-Beier evened it up a 2 apiece in the 42nd minute.
Kamiak went scoreless for the final 38 minutes, coming up just short on multiple looks at the goal in the later stages of the contest.
Lake Stevens players react to a goal during a game between Lake Stevens and Kamiak at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023. Lake Stevens won, 4-2. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
“Typically we have our senior night on our last home game,” Knights coach Kosta Pitharoulis said. “So, emotions were high with that. Overall, I thought the girls played hard and played well. We just didn’t put enough in the back of the net tonight.”
After a go-ahead score from senior Zoe Hopkins in the 48th minute, Tupua got to her second goal in the 60th and the Vikings defense held suit for the final 20 minutes plus stoppage time.
With Class 4A bi-district tournament play starting up on Thursday and running through Nov. 4, both squads are locked for a seed along with Jackson (8-6-2, 4-4-0).
“This game’s over now,” Pitharoulis said, “and we’ll have to really focus in on the next set of games. We have a great opportunity to potentially go to state, but we need to regroup because this was an emotionally draining game as well as physically. But, at the end of a season, it’s good because it’s kind of a primer to get you ready to go play at bi-districts.”
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