A few areas broke in favor of the Centralia College women’s soccer team last fall.
The six draws overall – five in the NWAC West – and one less loss than arch rival Lower Columbia put the Trailblazers into the NWAC Tournament for the first time in program history.
Add in an experienced bunch with 14 sophomores, plus a desire to extend their season into November, the 2025 season seemed destined to be different.
Now comes the task of maintaining the expectation. It’ll be bestowed upon a younger group of Blazers this fall.
Eighteen players either listed as redshirt or true freshman make up the CC roster alongside nine sophomores, opened their season on Saturday with a 1-0 exhibition loss to Bellevue at Bob Peters Field.
It was a unique match with three 30-minute halves and both sides doing a penalty kick shootout after the final whistle, just to get additional reps.
“I was really impressed with the tactical aspect this week,” Karteh said. “You can see us trying to get forward quickly. Still a lot of work to do. I saw a lot of players step up.”
It was a PK shootout that ended CC’s season last year. In the first round of the NWAC tourney, it lost 2-1 (5-4 PKs) to Skagit Valley. It was 3-3 after the first five players, then Skagit Valley’s sixth and seventh shooters buried their penalty kicks while CC went 1-for-2.
Karteh believes the returners have felt the pain and are using it to fuel this season, which officially kicks off on August 15 versus Portland Community College at home.
“It was tough,” Karteh said. “I give my players and our team a chance if we go into a PK shootout this year.”
As even as the record for the Trailblazers was a year ago, the stats were in the same light.
They scored 22 goals and allowed 22. They were a bottom-10 program in shot percentage yet ranked in the middle of the pack in total shots per game.
Only Aniya Gonzalez-Padilla and Yadhira Martinez are returners that found the back of the net. Anna Souja has the most assists back with two.
“It comes down to effort,” Karteh said. “When you get the chances, you have to put them away.”
One notable constant in the exhibition match were several runs foiled by either too far of a pass or the Bellevue back line swarming the 18-yard box.
Training is one thing. Saturday was the first competitive game CC has played.
“Trying to get that connection with teammates (down), they are still trying to understand each other,” Karteh said. “The more we practice, the more we play, I expect that to get better.”
Defensively, while posting seven shutouts, they were tied for second-most yellow cards in the NWAC with 17. The Trailblazers had three different goalkeepers start a game last season and will have a new keeper this year.
Tumwater High School grad Allison Woods, a returning second team all-region honoree, has established herself as a leader in the locker room. Other local talent includes sophomore midfielder Trinity Edwards from Tumwater and freshman Ella Jarmin out of Black Hills.
“To me, she is one of the best defenders in the league,” Karteh said of Woods. “I am pleased with a lot of things I saw from the freshmen.”
Tacoma and Highline made it a clear cut 1-2 atop the West division and CC ended as the best of the cluster of LCC, Clark and Pierce. The Trailblazers will be home aplenty during August and September before going on the road six times in eight October games.
“We play in the toughest conference,” Karteh said. “If we can do the things we need to do, we will be fine. I’m looking forward to it.”
