Sometimes the best things come to those who wait.
And sometimes, in the case of the Skyline girls soccer team, it’s better just to get it out of the way quickly and hold on.
The Spartan’s lone goal, in the 3rd minute of Saturday’s state quarterfinal matchup with Todd Beamer, lifted the defending 4A champions to a 1-0 victory, and back to the state semifinals.
“I think the game just plays out different if you don’t get that early one,” Skyline head coach Don Braman said.
Receiving a pass from Madi Barney, Anna Morgan worked her way up the left sideline. The senior forward crossed the ball with her left foot, finding the head of senior Coral Anderson, who knocked it into the right corner of the net.
“It was a really nice ball, it was right to my head,” Anderson said. “I didn’t even know where it went at first, then I saw it out of the corner of my eye go in and I got really excited.”
The assist was the 12th of the season for Morgan, who was quick to give credit to her teammates.
“I normally just cross it, and there’s always somebody there — back post, front post. They make it easy for me,” she said.
Beamer had opportunities of its own, including a near miss from all-state senior Holland Crook in the 46th minute. She lined up for a penalty kick from 20-yards out and blasted a shot toward the left post. The ball ricocheted off the post and the Spartans were able to clear it.
“That’s as high quality of a shot as you’re going to see on a free kick from that distance,” Braman said.
Skyline improved to 16-4-0 on the season. They will face undefeated Kentwood 16-0-4 at 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood. The winner of that game will move to face the winner of Issaquah-Kamiakan for the state title at 4 p.m., Saturday at Harry Lang Stadium.
With a possible state title match against league foe Issaquah looming, Braman was quick to remind his players that they need to stay focused on Kentwood.
“We’re all about winning the semifinal game,” he said.
The message was well received by the Spartan players afterwards.
“It’s just important to take it one game at a time,” Morgan said. “We’ve got to take care of the semifinals, do good in that, and go all the way.”
Issaquah routs Monroe, moves on to semis
A pair of first-half goals from Audrey Thomas, and a pair of second-half goals from Lindsay Stoll lifted Issaquah to a 4-0 state quarterfinal victory over Monroe on Saturday night.
Goalkeeper Brooke Miller recorded her ninth shutout of the season as Issaquah improved to 16-2-0 as a team. The Eagles will face Kamiakan at 6 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20 in the state semifinals. The winner of that game faces the winner of Skyline-Kentwood at 4 p.m., Saturday for the state title.
