TENINO — Third time’s the charm. At least, that’s what Toledo is hoping for.
The Riverhawks earned their third straight trip to the district title game on Thursday night, rolling to a dominant 7-0 victory over Adna in a 1B/2B District 4 Semifinal.
“The girls really played a complete game,” Toledo coach Horst Malunat said. “Defense, offense, I think as a team, we just played really well. We enjoyed it.”
The Riverhawks went on the attack early, and Aspen Cooper and Xtyn Norberg scored just two minutes apart just before the midway point of the first half to make it 2-0.
Five minutes after her first goal, Norberg scored another, and Peyton Holter scored early in stoppage time to make it 4-0 heading into the break.
The offense continued to roll in the second half, as Onica Chase, Cooper, and Holter added goals to put Toledo up seven.
“When we were pressing and doing stuff at their goal, they can’t really attack our goal,” Malunat said. “That’s the key, and they did really well.”
Despite the final scoreline, Adna coach Patrick Richardson wasn’t dismayed.
“We knew it was gonna be a tough test coming out on turf playing against this team,” Richardson said. “It’s tough when they have that kind of speed … They utilize their speed well, so when you’re caught on your back heels, you’re just playing catch up a lot of times.”
The Pirates weren’t on their back foot the entire game, as they were able to bring the ball upfield and challenge the box at times in the second half, but they were never able to break through Toledo’s back line to generate a Grade-A scoring opportunity.
The Pirates finished with just two shots, both of which were saved by Toledo’s Ivana Cabrera, while Toledo finished with 27. Toledo also won six corners as opposed to Adna’s six.
Along with her brace, Cooper added three assists, while Chase added two and both Norberg and Kailea Lairson tallied one.
In addition to clinching a spot in the district title game for the third year in a row, Toledo also earned a state tournament berth for the third year in a row and the fifth time in the last six state tournaments.
Before heading to state, the Riverhawks (12-3-2) will face Onalaska in Tenino at noon on Saturday in the district title game. In the regular season meeting between the two teams last week, Toledo topped Onalaska 2-1.
A win would avenge Toledo’s losses in the title game in 2024 and 2025, and it would give them their first district championship in program history.
“It’s time to win it,” Malunat said. “We’re ready for Saturday.”
The Pirates (11-8-0) will also be back in Tenino on Saturday, when they face Napavine for District 4’s third and final state tournament spot. In their regular season meeting last week, the Pirates beat the Tigers 1-0.
A win would send Adna back to the state tournament after they missed out last fall.
“We’re playing our best soccer right now,” Richardson said. “We just have to keep taking that next step every day. I know our girls are ready for it. Hopefully, they come out with 110 percent effort and can do what we know what we can do.”
