Girls Soccer: W.F. West Captures Rotary Cup; Tigers Torn by Eagles; Warriors Fall to Bobcats

RIVALS: W.F. West’s Casper, Sheets Each Score Twice in 5-0 Win

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CHEHALIS — Boosted by the play of their midfield and defense, and put away by Cameron Sheets in the second half, the W.F. West girls soccer team soundly defeated Centralia to capture the Rotary Cup, 5-0, Thursday night. 

The win means the Bearcats’ seniors have earned the cup every year they’ve been in high school. 

“I think that’s a pretty big accomplishment in itself,” Bearcats coach Allen Anderson said. “We’re going to go in our second go around and go for the clean sweep in all four years in both games. That’s something they’re really looking forward to already.”

Though the Tigers came out firing in the first five minutes, giving the Bearcats some problems with their pressure and getting off a few shots to test sophomore Bearcat keeper Carlie Deskins, W.F. West responded. 

“Kudos to Centralia,” Anderson said. “They pressured us really hard, which gave us fits. They really didn’t give us a lot of time on the ball and we really had to step up our game to be successful tonight.”

Maddy Casper was the first Bearcat to score, when a deflected ball bounced right at her foot, and the senior laced the ball right through the back of the net in the 11th minute. 

Casper came up big again, moments later in the 15th minute, putting a perfectly placed corner kick right on the foot of defender Kaylynne Dowling, who sent a shot for a goal and doubled the Bearcats lead. After no more scores until half, it was only a matter of time before Sheets got hers. 

The junior forward took a clean pass from Olivia Remund and scored in the 46th minute, and 10 minutes later, earned a brace off an assist from Kyla McCallum. It’s Sheets’ second straight game with a brace. 

Lena Fragner scored the Bearcats final goal in the 60th minute off an assist from Elizabeth Patana. 

It was another game where McCallum and company dominated out of the midfield, pushing a strong attack and not letting many balls get behind them to challenge the defense. Anderson made sure to give props to his senior captain, Dowling, after she scored a goal and anchored the defense Thursday night. 

“That’s one of the things we’ve been working on this year is getting the defenders more involved in the attack going forward,” he said. “(Dowling) absolutely rock solid back there. She came in and was a starter as a freshman back there. She hasn’t looked back since. Having her really anchor our back line is huge and a big advantage for us.”

It also helps to have a finisher. With the game in hand, W.F. West’s junior goalscoring star Sheets removed any doubt. 

“She’s an all-around incredible player, she does a great job of dropping in the midfield and allowing us to keep possession and keep up the attack and then she’s just a dynamite finisher in the final third,” Anderson said. “She has the ability to go through players, you see when players just bounce off her when she’s at full speed, it’s so fun to watch her play.”

Centralia will look to bounce back next Tuesday, when the Tigers take on Black Hills on the road looking for their first win, while W.F. West hosts Tumwater. 

Tigers Torn by Eagles



One day after a 7-0 win over Winlock, Napavine didn’t have enough juice in its legs to keep it churning in a 6-1 defeat to Elma on the road Thursday in non-league play.

The Tigers kept it close for about 60 minutes, with Makensee Taliaferro Bouge knocking in a goal in the 40th minute off an assist from Maya Kunkel’s throw-in inside the six to tie it up at 1-1 at the half.

“(Taliaferro Bouge) is a special player,”Napavine assistant coach Chris Tarabochia said. “She’s a real leader and does what’s asked of her to better the team.”

But Elma’s powerhouse forward Beta Valentine scored two of her three goals in the second half, including an assist, finishing with eight shots on goal to stymie the Tigers at every turn.

“It felt like Elma was one of the best teams we’ve seen in a few years,” Tarabochia said. “If they were in our league, Valentine would be league MVP.”

Valentine smashed in goals in the 44th and 60th minutes to put Elma up for good. The Eagles scored again in the 63rd, 68th and 71st minutes to close out the scoring at 6-1.

Still Tarabochia was pleased with the Tigers’ efforts, especially considering they had just played a match the night before. It showed with the five second-half goals surrendered with the Tigers’ legs finally catching up with them.

“We brought the juice in the first half,” Tarabochia said. “For a lot of these eighth graders and freshmen, it was the best game and hardest effort I’ve seen our girls give us. They responded well.”

Tarabochia also praised the performance of keeper Taylen Evander, who recorded 13 saves on the night.

Napavine (2-1) continues non-league play with a long road trip to Stevenson on Monday.

Warriors Fall to Bobcats

Rochester received one goal from Amerika Jones off an assist by Yarexy Meija but it wasn’t enough to overcome Aberdeen in a 3-1 loss on the road Thursday.

Rochester coach Ken Matthews named Meija, Kaylei Clark and Staysha Fleutsch as the Warriors’ Women of the Match.

Rochester (0-4) hosts Tenino in a rivalry match on Saturday.