CHIMACUM — East Jefferson volleyball fell 3-1 to the Warriors to end their season with a 13-5 record, a 7-win improvement from 2024 and the first winning season since Chimacum and Port Townsend combined athletics in 2021.
“Our Rivals volleyball team had an amazing season this year,” coach Carrie Beebe said. “The girls grew each game, learning how to read their opponents and make adjustments.
“They played a great game last night, even without two of our starters. We pulled up Aalyah Johnson from JV to replace our middle who was out and she did a great job putting up some much needed blocks last night.
“Not only did the team grow in skill, but they learned the importance of staying positive and supportive of each other. We were honored to coach them this year and will miss our four seniors, Penina Vailolo, Stephy Duran, Dylan Shockley and Emily Liske. We wish them well in their future endeavors.”
Girls Soccer
Port Angeles 1, North Kitsap 0
PORT ANGELES — Emma Desjardins’ penalty kick early in the second half stood up and Port Angeles produced its second win over North Kitsap this season, a 1-0 triumph in the Class 2A West Central District girls soccer tournament on Tuesday evening.
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The fifth-seeded Roughriders (15-3) advanced to a district semifinal appearance against Olympic League champion and No. 1-seeded Bainbridge (16-1) tonight at 7 p.m. at Bainbridge High School. The winner will earn an automatic berth to the state tournament while the loser will play the winner between Kingston and Orting in a winner-to-state, loser-out contest Saturday.
Both teams played conservatively in the first half.
“Playoff soccer, it was a more physical and faster-paced game,” coach Daniel Horton said. “Both teams did a good job of attacking everything in the air. There were a lot of 50/50 balls. There weren’t a lot of opportunities on goal for each team, and it was about who would break through first.”
Desjardins’ score came in the third minute of the second half. A Roughrider throw-in was directed toward a Viking defender who missed what appeared to be a routine kick with Desjardins right there to run onto the ball before being upended by the North Kitsap goalkeeper to earn the penalty kick.
“We have done well on throws this year, got it down field on a throw. It was us taking advantage of their mistake. Their defender stepped up and looked like it was going to be an easy clearance, 9-of-10, maybe 99-out-of-100 times their defender clears it. Emma was in position to get a run on and chase it and get a foot on it.”
Desjardins stayed down on the turf momentarily before popping up and sending her penalty kick to the lower left corner for her 20th goal of the season.
“She was feeling it. She got a dead leg, a charley horse to her thigh (from the collision),” Horton said. “I don’t know if she knew she was going to take it, but we were letting her know from the sideline. She earned the right and she showed her skills and mental toughness, and she buried it as we assumed.”
Horton said Desjardins also defended North Kitsap’s Syleena Hogan, a Gonzaga commit, who moved up into the striker position from midfield as the Vikings chased a score.
“We felt like we had dealt pretty well with her in the previous games. We knew if we made her stay on her back (to the goal) and don’t let her turn and she’ll shoot longer shots. With Kennedy (Rognlien) in goal, we felt confident,” Horton said.
“She just kind of followed her and made sure she didn’t get anything cheap, free or easy. She was thinking of the team first. You don’t always see that understanding from a freshman.”
Horton said it was a team win, with many players contributing defensively to the shutout, including Cayleigh Alward.
“She played an amazing game at center back. It was her Michael Jordan flu game,” Horton said. “She had been really sick and definitely sounded sick, but she said she was OK and she played one of the better games of her career.”
In another district playoff contest, Sequim fell 4-0 on the road against Bainbridge. The Wolves (7-10) will face North Kitsap tonight at 6 p.m. in a loser-out contest at North Kitsap.
A win would put Sequim into a winner-to-state, loser-out game against the Steilacoom/Fife loser on Saturday.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at sports@peninsuladaily news.com.
