Adna senior forward Kaylin Todd recorded a hat trick and the Pirates controlled the match from start to finish for a 7-0 trouncing of visiting Stevenson Monday in the opening round of districts.
The win clinched a state playoff berth and the Pirates will move on to the district semifinals, where they will face Onalaska at 6 p.m., Thursday, in Kalama.
Senior forward Summer White said she was a little nervous before the match since Adna has been shut down in COVID protocol the past two weeks, and only had three practices to prepare for Monday’s game against Stevenson. But when the team met pregame, all the worry disappeared and turned into excitement.
“We were all really pumped because it’s our last game on this field,” White said. “We were all pumped up and having fun before the game, which I think helped and it carried on to the game because we were having fun on the field.”
The Pirates were certainly having fun as the game turned into a shot-on-goal parade. Sadie Burdick notched the first goal of the game in the third minute off an assist from Zarine Walker. Todd had three goals (7th, 8th, 12th minutes) one assisted by Walker and another by White. Presley Smith scored in the 20th, Lydia Tobin a minute later and Macy Kalnoski booted one in off an assist by Stark in the 78th minute.
White was glad the Pirates, the North Division’s No. 1 seed, took care of business against the South Division’s No. 4 seed and cemented their ticket to state.
“It’s pretty awesome,” senior forward Summer White said. “I’m glad we have the experience to go, especially that we have state this year. Last year sucked not having state, so I’m excited to have our last year to have memories of going.”
This will be Adna coach Horst Malunat’s first state appearance since guiding the Toledo-Winlock United boys soccer team to the 1A state championship match in 2019. Now in his second year at Adna, the Pirates would have qualified for the state tournament in 2020 — after advancing to the district semifinals — had there been a tournament.
On Monday, he wasn’t sure how his team would start out with the school being in COVID protocol for two weeks.
“But the girls came out and did really well,” Malunat said. “They started strong and it looked like we hadn’t missed a beat. And now, it’s kind of a relief, because now you’re top four.”
All 22 girls played in both halves, which is nearly unheard of in a winner-to-state, loser-out, district playoff match. Now, the Pirates’ main focus will be Onalaska, who they’ll face in the district semifinals. Adna lost to Onalaska, 2-1, in a non-league match earlier this season. Having already faced the Loggers will give him a better idea of what to expect, he said.
“We’re playing better now. I don’t know if they are, but we are,” Malunat said. “It matters where you are at the end of the season, so hopefully we’ll be ready. I like our chances on turf because we have a lot of speed. We have something to play for. It’s not just non-league, this is for seeding, this is to get to the district championship.”
