A team that went to the 2023 3A state tournament will not be making a consecutive appearance — Kentlake girls soccer came up short this year.
The Falcons fell 4-1 to White River in the second round of the district tournament on Nov. 5 at French Field.
“We battled all the way to the end, “ said Manager Joe Grijalva.
Kentlake was fourth in the regular season and defeated Timberline 5-2 in the first round of the district tournament.
“They progressed immensely from where they started to where they got … It was the younger underclassmen that stepped into those leadership shoes more than I could ever expect,” Grijalva said.
The two sides played a very competitive first half, and the Falcons even took a lead in that first half.
Sophomore Lauren Tripp found a bit of space and a little time before sending a shot into the top corner of the Hornet goal.
White River got an equalizer right before halftime and the two sides went into the locker rooms dead even.
The second half was not what the Falcons envisioned. White River came out with a fire and asked questions of the Kentlake defense that it could not answer. “They kept pulling the trigger… They were not afraid to take a shot with someone in their face,” Grijalva said.
In the first minute after halftime, the Hornets found the back of the net. Adalyn Sikes scored her second of the night, which would end up being the game winner.
White River got a third goal in the 66th minute and a fourth in the 71st, but by that point, the Falcons’ fate had already been sealed.
For Grijalva, this is a special senior class, a group that has his own step-daughter in it and has taken great strides at Kentlake. “They stepped up… Gretta (Schuldt) did an awesome job. Every one of the captains and seniors really stepped up this year and made their presence known,” said Grijalva.
For the rest of the Falcons, there is a lot to look forward to. Players like Shannon McLain, who is going to set the all-time Kentlake record next year and just missed out this season on that record. And there are players like Tripp who will carry this program going forward.
“The sky is the limit… I could see them playing at the next level,” Grijalva said.
McLain broke the single season goal record this year — it was 16 goals. McLain scored 23, breaking a record that has stood since 2000.
“It’s encouraging to see the talent level we have coming back and how much we are going to go,” said Grijalva.
The outlook for Kentlake is exciting, and it’s going to be another difficult league. But for Grijalva, he sees the Falcons back in the district tournament next year, fighting for a state tournament spot.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect coming into this season. I was open to whatever happens, happens… But the fact we made it this far and fought and battled with every single team is a testament to what we have coming back next year,” he said. “Big things for us next season.”
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Camille Rigtrup protects the ball from a White River defender. Ben Ray / The Reporter
