Thursday, Oct. 24, was a good day for Oak Harbor and Coupeville high school soccer.
Oak Harbor upset Arlington 2-1 at Wildcat Memorial Stadium to move up to 10th in the current RPI rankings. The top 10 advance to the district tournament. The Wildcats (5-9, 6-10) completed their regular season with the win. Now they have to wait and see how Marysville-Pilchuck (4-8-1, 6-8-1), the team behind them in the rankings, does Monday, Oct. 28. The Tomahawks host Stanwood (6-7, 6-9) in their finale.
Coupeville’s Anna Dion scored in stoppage time to lift the Wolves to a 1-0 win over Sultan at Mickey Clark Field in a tie-breaker match for the North Sound Conference’s fifth and final postseason berth.
The Wolves (2-9, 2-12-2) host Mount Baker (0-16) in a district play-in game at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26.
Oak Harbor 2, Arlington 1
The Wildcats needed a win to keep their playoff hopes afloat, and Oak Harbor stunned Arlington (8-5, 9-6) on Senior Night.
“Lots of emotions from the girls,” coach Mike Lonborg said. “Just worked hard for it. Natalie Plush had one of her best games, the entire defense played well led by (Mikhaela) Cortez and (Gracie) Hiteshew, (and) Tiana Jackson played well in goal.”
Peyton Rhyne gave Oak Harbor a 1-0 halftime lead on an assist from Hiteshew.
In the second half, Rhyne struck again with an assist from Morgan Lamar on “one of the best hustle plays of the year,” according to Lonborg.
Arlington scored on a free kick late in the second half.
Oak Harbor lost 4-0 at first-place Snohomish (11-1-1, 12-1-2) Tuesday.
Coupeville 1, Sultan 0
After dominating shots on goal, Coupeville finally punched one in when Dion escaped from a scrum in front of the goal to score in the final minutes.
The match was played with 20-minute halves.
Both teams played their final regular season game the night before, and Coupeville fell to visiting Granite Falls 6-1. Mallory Kortuem tallied for the Wolves.
“Both teams were tired after playing last night,” Coupeville coach Kyle Nelson said. “It (the Sultan match) was made even harder because this was such an important match.”
The showdown with Mount Baker “should be fun,” he added. “Being at home should help us a bit.”
The Wolves have never won a girls playoff match.
If they defeat Mount Baker, they will advance in the district tournament to play at Cedar Park Christian (8-6) at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, in a loser-out match.
The tournament continues Oct. 30 and Nov. 2; the top five teams qualify for the bi-district tournament.
Morgan Lamar, left, and Peyton Rhyne celebrate a goal. Rhyne scored on Lamar’s assist. (Photo by John Fisken)
Oak Harbor’s Mikhaela Cortez, a four-year starter, puts the ball back into play. (Photo by John Fisken)
Coupeville’s Anna Dion shoots in the Wolves’ win Thursday. Later in the match, Dion scored the winning goal. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
Mallory Kortuem, center, is upended by Sultan’s Kennedy Wolff. No penalty was called on the play. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
Avalon Renninger takes care of the ball and Sultan’s Heidi Milian. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
While the Coupeville High School soccer team was competing on the adjacent field, future Wolves were enjoying their own match. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
