Find a way.
In some ways, those three words have served as a rallying cry for the W.F. West High School girls soccer team. And it’s popped up on a semi-weekly basis.
On Sept. 24 in a downpour and a 1-1 contest versus Black Hills, the Bearcats found a way to win.
Two straight Thursday road games in October against Shelton and Aberdeen, where it was knotted at zeroes until the waning moments, they found a way.
Through the second time of Evergreen Conference play, when adjustments were at the forefront, they found a way.
“The perception is their league is more talented, but our league is tough,” W.F. West head coach Kevin Schultz said. “Every night in our league is a dog fight. Everybody gave us their best game and it prepares us for these moments.”
So when the EvCo champions were deep into regulation in a scoreless contest, those previous encounters ended up being exactly what they needed on a cloudy Halloween afternoon.
They found a way. Again.
Freshman sensation Mirabel Burger slotted in a 79th minute penalty kick – the only shot on goal all day for W.F. West – in its 1-0 triumph over the GSHL’s fourth-best team Hockinson at Bearcat Stadium on Saturday in a Class 2A District 4 quarterfinal.
“I was so happy with my team surrounding me,” Burger said. “I did it.”
For the third consecutive postseason, the Bearcats will play in a district semifinal except this time it will be in Chehalis. Standing in the way of their first state tournament appearance in 15 years is Ridgefield.
First kick for Wednesday’s semi is slated for 6 p.m.
“We knew (everything) was at stake,” junior defender Addy Arthurs said.
For much of the day, both sides took turns dominating possession. Still, W.F. West (14-0-4) struggled to consistently figure out Hockinson’s defense. The Hawks were double marking Burger and on more than one instance, had a third defender floating.
Even with Burger off and Greta Oien on at the top, or Oien on the wing opposite Izzy Teeter and Burger back on, nothing was coming together.
“They are really good at winning 50-50 balls and we have to bring the same energy,” Burger said. “In all of our games, we have to get into a flow in the first half, but it started clicking in the last few minutes (of the first half).”
Then in the 76th minute, things started happening. The first throw-in started roughly around the 30-yard line on the Bearcats’ defensive side of the field. They kept just moving down the field, thanks to Hockinson deflections.
Once they were in the attacking-third, Arthur's throw-in was to Burger, who got by her defender and fired a low cross towards Teeter. A Hawks defender slid in late and the penalty was awarded.
“Just a great team play right there; just keep going the line,” Schultz said. “We talked about playing to each other’s feet on the first and second pass. We did a better job, especially that first 15 minutes (of the second half).”
Amidst the commotion, Schultz hollered towards Burger with the thought she takes the PK. She was more than ready in her first ever playoff game.
“I’ve dedicated myself to go both sides on my PKs and I was ready to take it,” Burger stated. “There are nerves involved because when wouldn’t there be? I believe in myself.”
She went right, froze the Hawks keeper and sent the Bearcats into euphoria. Hockinson never got another chance through stoppage time and even after the final whistle, the celebration continued.
“We knew we had a couple minutes left to keep (the lead),” Arthurs said.
The backline of Arthurs, Kenley Fragner, Tinsley Brown and Elise Caserta along with four saves by Charlee Nelson paved the way for the 10th shutout of the season. Arthurs had the assignment of Hockinson freshman Braylee Stewart and the latter beat the former twice early in the first half.
Stewart didn’t get a good look on goal again.
“I didn’t want her to go down the line and shoot with her left foot, so my goal was to let her cut in and take her that way,” Arthurs said.
Nelson’s biggest save came in the 32nd minute off a Hawks free kick that took a deflection and forced the keeper to change directions and get a fingertip save to preserve the 0-0 tie.
“That’s what we expect out of her,” Schultz said. “They were playing so strong. In a playoff game, teams don’t want to make a mistake.”
Now, the stakes have been increased once again and yet, the semifinal round has been W.F. West’s biggest hurdle it hasn’t overcome. Only the previous two years has it played in a semi since 2012.
Last year’s playoff game between Ridgefield and the Bearcats went into a PK shootout. The Spudders sport a 14-3 record and ten times have they put multiple goals into the back of the net.
“I know they have a freshman who is very good and doesn’t start for them,” Schultz said. “The focus for us has to be when we get on the ball, can we keep the ball for longer stretches.”
There hasn’t been pressure to maintain the undefeated season. The old cliche of taking it one game at a time has served W.F. West well and it isn’t straying away from that anytime soon.
“We don’t think about our undefeated season, we just go forward,” Arthurs said.
