Class 2A girls: Naches stunned as Sultan claims title in shootout

LAKEWOOD — For once, Sultan forward Heather Howard didn't know how to react after scoring the goal.

Howard, a senior, came through with the decisive kick as Sultan denied Naches its second consecutive Class 2A girls soccer title with a 1-0 penalty-kick shootout victory in yesterday's final at Harry Lang Stadium.

After Howard neatly tucked the winning penalty kick into the right corner of the net, she turned, looked at her jubilant teammates and froze. Her team had just been outplayed in 80 minutes of regulation and two five-minute overtime periods, but the Turks (18-4-0) emerged with a 5-3 decision in the shootout session.

"I was so in shock, I didn't know what I should do," said Howard, who slid her Round 5 winning shot just off the hands of Naches goalkeeper Danielle Bernhardt.

"I couldn't believe we did it. With shootouts, it seriously depends on the day, when two teams are that close. It's just if you want it that bad."

Tears of joy began to flow for Howard and Sultan. Naches players, meanwhile, cried a river of frustration after outshooting the Turks 25-5.

"We played with them, and we played our hearts to the end," Naches senior midfielder Beth Drollinger said. "We have no regrets. They didn't prove they were the better team. We hit the post twice.

"I feel we outplayed them. I think we dominated them on the field."

The Rangers (21-1-0) had a 44-game unbeaten streak snapped.

"It's frustrating to end a season like that," said Drollinger, who was part of a Rangers team that also finished second at state in 2000. "The last three years, we proved we were in the top two teams in the state. That's acceptable in anybody's book."

Sultan's win marked the first state championship in any girls sport for the school after the Turks finished second in 1998 and 1999 and lost in last year's semifinals to North Cascades Conference rival Meridian. The Turks came from behind to beat Meridian 3-2 in Friday's semifinals.

Howard had been missing her penalty kick in practices wide to the right this week, so her confidence wasn't exactly brimming on the final kick, which Naches needed to stop to kick in Round 5.

"If her shot was to win state, I knew she was going to bury it," Sultan Coach Andrea Fuller said.

The outcome was missed opportunities for the Rangers, who entered 43-0-1 in their previous 44 matches.

"We had a beautiful year, and unfortunately this is what the girls will remember about this season," Naches Coach Harvey Robicheau said. "The girls gave it a go. It's hard for the girls to accept it right now. They gave 100 percent, and that's all you can ask of a team."

Drollinger hammered a 28-yard direct free kick off the right post, and after it caromed in front of the goal, the Sultan defense cleared the ball to avoid a scare in the 13th minute.

The Rangers put the pressure on the Turks early, peppering nine shots on the Sultan goal in the first 20 minutes. Sultan mustered just two harmless shots during that same time.

In the 36th minute, Naches' Drollinger had a 22-yard direct free kick narrowly miss.

Drollinger banged a 43-yard direct free kick off the crossbar in the 37th minute as the Rangers took a 12-4 shots-on-goal advantage into a scoreless halftime.

Connell 2, Meridian 0 (3rd-4th places) — Sophomore midfielder Lauryn Koelzer scored a goal and added an assist as the Eagles (17-4-1) completed their season with a third-place trophy.

Meridian, near Bellingham, ended the season 17-7-0.

Connell, making its first Final Four appearance in the school's seventh year of girls soccer, took a 1-0 lead as Koelzer beat Meridian goalkeeper Rebecca Noel with a one-on-one breakaway in the eighth minute. Koelzer faked right to draw Noel's attention, then tapped a shot neatly into the left corner of the net.

It was Koelzer's 33rd goal, boosting her season point total to 76.

Koelzer then provided an assist to Maritza Mendez on a two-on-one break to give Connell a 2-0 cushion in the 62nd minute. It was Mendez's 19th goal of the season.

Meridian's Katie Johnson was scoreless, but finished the season with 37 goals to complete her high-school career with more than 100 goals.