Sports Beat | Gig Harbor, Peninsula to meet for girls soccer league championship

The Gig Harbor and Peninsula girls soccer teams each won two Puget Sound League tournament matches and will face off in the first championship game of the new league on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at Roy Anderson Field.

Peninsula (12-1-1) opened the postseason with come-from-behind, 2-1 victory over Silas on Oct. 22. Peninsula appeared to be on cruise control for the first 80 minutes. Silas sensed a chance to knock off the state’s No. 2-ranked team and were aggressive with their runs, which resulted in a goal and a 1-0 lead.

Confronted by the threat of losing, Peninsula switched to attack mode. Senior Maya Rogers’ perfect corner kick found Nora Sutherland, who came out of nowhere to head the ball off the turf for a tricky one-hop goal. Sutherland’s score tied the game.

In stoppage time, Peninsula’s Alexandra Cichanski took another well-placed corner kick from Rogers and deflected it just inside the near post to give the Seahawks a stunning 2-1 victory.

Maya Rogers of Peninsula passes to teammate Nora Sutherland. Photo by Larry Kalahiki

Even more drama

If that wasn’t dramatic enough, Peninsula advanced to the conference finals by beating Central Kitsap on Oct. 24 in a wild game that had spectators on the edge of their seat.

Peninsula’s Kiki Kalahiki found the net in the game’s opening minute before the Cougars scored twice to take the lead back. After that scoring machine Rogers scored two goals in a row to wrestle the lead back. But Central Kitsap was awarded a penalty kick and cashed in to make the score 3-3.

Subsequent overtime periods saw both teams play inspired defense before time ran out and a shootout determined the final winner.

Ada Labowitz, Alex Cichanski and Ella Coates all scored penalty kicks for Peninsula, while Seahawk goalie Brooklyn Finch saved two CK kicks. Coates, who got the final and game-clinching PK, was mobbed by her teammates.

Peninsula goalie Brooklyn Finch turned away three shots to beat Central Kitsap. Photo by Larry Kalahiki

Tides hardly challenged in postseason

Gig Harbor steamrolled two opponents en route to the title game, with convincing victories over River Ridge (3-0 on Oct. 22) and Bellarmine (5-0 on Oct. 24).

Karin Heikkila opened the scoring against Bellarmine off an assist from Cailey Ridgeway. Elise Miller scored a penalty kick, then Kennedy Marler put in goals No. 3 and 4. Ridgeway closed the scoring on a pinpoint assist from Nadia Schwab.

Meanwhile Tides defenders Aejanee Humphrey and Molly Leverett, who have aggression and blazing speed, helped shut down the Lions. Both play defense like Boarder Collies patrolling sheep. As soon as one gets a little past the fence, they close in on them in double time to make sure the ball is out of the Tides’ territory.

Title match on Tuesday

Now both local teams will finally play each other in the season’s final match to determine who will be the inaugural Puget Sound League soccer champion. Both teams play with tremendous energy and always give maximum effort while seemingly never getting tired. Both teams are also very tough and it’s almost impossible for me to pick a winner because each team’s strengths mirror each others.

Peninsula defender Labowitz said of the upcoming match up with the Tides: “We’re excited, that’s the game we play the hardest in and we’re going to fight. We’re going to keep a good mentality and spirit about us and look to win.”

“Every year we play them, it’s a pretty even matchup,” Peninsula’s Coates said. “They’ve always been a strong side but so are we…so I think we’re just gonna give it our all and may the best team win.”

Tides coach Robyn Saathoff said: “Peninsula is a good team and it’s always a good battle between us. We need to come out strong.”

The teams play at a time to be announced on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at Roy Anderson Field.

GH water polo leading its division

The Gig Harbor boys water polo team is turning heads and scoring goals. The Tides are in first place in Division 2 after dismantling Lakes, 16-7 on senior night, Oct. 23, at the Gig Harbor pool.

The first thing to know about the Tides team is that they’re strong, with a few players who look like football linebackers. They use their physicality on both offense and defense.

Water polo is a physical game that plays much like basketball but in the water. The Tides are a well balanced team led by coach Alana Ponce, who won four state championships as a player for Gig Harbor.

Seniors Brody Mock, Troy Tackett and Holden Conner were relentless against the Lancers with their crisp passing and flame thrower shots. The Lancers’ goalie had little time to react as the Tides shots were fired high, low and some even skimmed off the water for pretty goals.

Troy Tackett of Gig Harbor. Photo by Mike Kelly

Mock turned in the most impressive goal of the night. He sometimes plays the “set” position, closest to the goal in the middle. The Tides’ objective was to get the ball to Mock, who was in a serious battle for position with a defender. Mock received an accurate pass from Holden and then unleashed a no-look, backhanded shot that was impossible to stop from 10 feet away. The goal put the Tides ahead 10-3 in the first half.

A physical game

Gig Harbor does not look to have a weak link in the pool as all of Ponce’s players were quick to the ball and unselfish with their passing.

An animated Lancer coach screamed for one of his players to drive to the middle and receive a pass but when he did three Tides players quickly converged to steal the ball away like a bully taking a kid’s lunch money.

Mock loves the physicality of the game.

“It’s definitely rough, everyone crashes in around you, but once you get the ball, the adrenaline hits and it’s exciting,” he said. “We don’t want to get pushed around in the pool, if we keep control then it’s our game to win.”

When asked about what is the main reason the Tides have excelled Mock said: “We have a balanced team where everyone pulls their own weight, plus our coach is young and she relates well, she’ll jump right into the pool and show us how it’s done instead of just telling us.”

Brody Mock of Gig Harbor. Photo by Mike Kelly

The dynamic is clearly working. The Tides almost doubled the score of the Peninsula Seahawks in a earlier matchup this year. They have faced three division one teams and lost close matches to all three — by just a single goal to powerhouses Newport (twice) and Mercer Island.

The road ahead

Gig Harbor’s biggest win of the season was a rematch with the Silas Rams, who defeated the Tides 10-6 in late September. The Tides needed a win to share the conference lead and got it with a hard-fought 10-6 win last week that showcased the teams improvement during the season.

Tackett stands out as one of the team leaders and feels like his team can defeat Stadium, a division one opponent, next week if they play their game.

“If we play physical defense and move the ball we should be in good shape,” Tackett said. We have a small team with not a lot of players on it but we have a really good team, we’ll be ready.”

Sophomore goalie Sam Petrie, who grew several inches over the summer, has cat-quick reflexes and plays the position with a calm yet defiant nature. He turned away several Lancers shots and quickly redirected the Tides fast breaks down the pool with accurate outlet passes.

Ponce and the Tides are getting ready for the division two state tourney on Nov. 8 and 9. If Gig Harbor can finish in the top three of that tournament they will qualify for the division one state tournament the following weekend. The Tides’ goal is to finish inside the top eight in the D1 tournament to guarantee a spot in the top division next year.

Holden Conner of Gig Harbor. Photo by Mike Kelly