Girls Soccer | Eastlake wears KingCo 4A crown
SAMMAMISH - The Eastlake soccer players posed for the pictures, each with a finger raised to the sky. When the flashes ended, they huddled together and broke out in a chant of “Undefeated!”
Yet, as the Wolves celebrated a 5-1 victory in the KingCo 4A championship game, one of them was missing. Sophomore Kory Spotts, the team’s leader with 10 goals, was in a nearby hospital after a painful collision near midfield in the first half.
The severity of her leg injury was unknown immediately after the game. She was taken to an ambulance in a stretcher early in the second half. But before her injury, she showed how much she means to the undefeated Wolves.
In the 16th minute, Spotts put a shot from about 25 yards over Redmond’s all-KingCo goaltender, Kat Donovan, for the Wolves’ first goal.
“We just needed a goal. We know we can score, and I think getting the first one was the shot of confidence the girls needed,” said Eastlake coach Chuck Grieble, who added, “After that, you saw what happened.”
The Wolves broke out, as they’ve done so many times this season. Emma Levy scored in the 34th minute, and then Emily Hurd and Mackenzie Garrett scored in the final minute of the first half to put Eastlake ahead 4-0.
Eastlake (14-0-0) won the conference for the first time since 2003 and clinched a spot in the state tournament, which begins next week. The Wolves finished third in 4A last season.
Erin Handschin scored Redmond’s goal in the 55th minute, only the sixth Eastlake has allowed this season. The Mustangs (8-4-4) play Woodinville Thursday, with the winner advancing to the state tournament.
Loser out
Woodinville 3, Inglemoor 2
Stine Schoening scored her second goal in the 66th minute to keep the Falcons alive. Woodinville, the defending state champion, plays Redmond on Thursday, with the winner heading to state. Schoening tied it at 2 with a goal in the 52nd minute and scored the winning goal on her own rebound. Sam Bellefeuille also scored for Woodinville. Amanda Campbell and Taylor Mitchell scored for Inglemoor.
Tom Wyrwich: 206-515-5653 or twyrwich@seattletimes.com