RIDGEFIELD — As she came off the field for a breather during Port Angeles’ 3-1 state tournament victory over Sehome on Tuesday, sophomore Eve Burke was greeted by a question from coach Scott Moseley.
Burke had already played at forward and at defender in the contest.
“I joked with Eve at one point, ‘You are going to play every position tonight, so how are your goaltending skills?’,” Moseley said.
Even kidding, the point remains.
Burke, along with juniors Hannah Reetz and Jada Cargo and freshman Anna Petty, have served as a versatile influx of varsity newcomers, playing multiple positions and mixing in well with the Riders’ blend of established performers like Millie Long, Delaney Wenzl and Port Angeles’ experienced back-line defenders.
Port Angeles’ Hannah Reetz plays the ball forward during a game against Bremerton earlier this season. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
The mix has propelled the Port Angeles girls soccer team to the state quarterfinals.
The Riders (16-2-1) visit the Southwest District 4 champion Ridgefield Spudders (16-4-0) with a berth in the Class 2A semifinals on the line at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Reetz came back to soccer after playing for Storm King Soccer Club through seventh grade. She hasn’t missed a beat as Port Angeles’ second-leading scorer.
“She has 10 goals which would have led the program [in many previous seasons],” Moseley said. “We’ve joked about that — ‘You know you would have been the all-time scorer just a couple of years ago, right?’”
Reetz wasn’t sure what to expect when picking the game back up.
“I came into it with an open mind, Reetz said. “I didn’t know what team I was going to make, honestly, because I hadn’t played in so long. It was a good change, I knew I was going into a good program with talented players. I was a little intimidated because of the talent — ‘Am I good enough to get back in it?’”
Reetz said she’s worked on “sharpening skills, getting a good touch back, moving the ball, looking up and just getting back in it.”
Anna Petty of Port Angeles pushes past Sehome’s Ava Lunny on Tuesday night’s playoff game in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
It’s paid off for the Riders.
“[Against Sehome] she started out as the nine [striker] and we moved her back to left back for her speed and quickness,” Moseley said.
“That’s somewhat of a risk because she is our second-leading scorer but she was able to step back into that spot and play it really well even though she had never played that position before. She played right back when Lucah [Folden] was hurt, too.”
Reetz plays with passion.
“She goes all out and is so quick on the field. She’s brave,” Moseley said.
“The soccer field gives a lot of room for her quickness and abandon. She can use that speed, quickness and aggressiveness to the team’s advantage. There’s a lot of room for her to run and she covers a lot of ground.”
Burke appreciates Reetz’s aggressiveness and her goal-scoring ability.
“She knows how to put the ball in the back of the net,” Burke said. “She’s got a lot of energy.”
Cargo has added four goals and four assists and is often tasked with defending against the opposition’s prime target.
“One of the things she brings is that athleticism,” Moseley said. “She did a great job against Sequim and the same thing last night [against Sehome].”
“She may not be the best man marker on the team, but when it comes to being physical with somebody she uses her athleticism and size to take some of the girls out of their game. One of the things I have appreciated is her work rate. She comes off dripping with sweat and you know she’s going 100 percent.”
Cargo also has a strong leg.
“She had one of the most important goals of the season — the first goal in the first game against Sequim when we were down 1-0. That goal settled us down,” Moseley said.
Petty has been solid at the defensive center midfielder and also played two games in the back when Folden was injured. She’s scored twice and assisted on three other goals.
Moseley knew Petty would have a role on the team before the season but has been impressed with how she’s adapted to the varsity level.
“That she doesn’t play like a freshman,” he said. “She plays like a seasoned vet. She’s very physical and she plays that position very well. She wins the ball, dribbles forward, finds passes, a very hard tackler. She has a chance to stamp herself in that defensive center mid spot going forward — like a point guard in basketball, the ball should come in to them and rotate out of there. That position is key to defense and offense.”
Reetz is impressed by Petty and Cargo.
“Anna it’s definitely her aggressiveness. Same with Jada, Jada is incredibly strong,” Reetz said.
“Anna is really good with her ball control and is aggressive and Jada always has a body on someone.”
Burke praised Cargo’s aerobic ability.
“Jada can run forever,” Burke said. “She works really hard and is a really strong athlete.”
Burke moved up to the varsity midway through the season. She was a big part of Port Angeles’ basketball success as a freshman last season and also competed in the state track meet.
“She’s played right back, central defense and forward,” Moseley said. “She’s such a good all-around athlete one she started to pick up the soccer specific skills she just took off. She’s probably our best pure passer, she finds the gaps in the defense and is able to hit really good balls through to the other forwards.”
Reetz notices Burke’s eyes out on the field.
“Eve is physical, she has a pretty good kick, too,” she said. “When she gets the ball her head automatically goes up and looks for somebody to be open. She has quick reflexes and is very athletic in any sport she tries.”
Freshman backup goalkeeper Saylah Commerton also has contributed to the team’s success.
“She had two shutouts, and shutout North Kitsap as a freshman filling in when Madi [Roening] was hurt,” Moseley said.
All of these players should return next season, so another state-tournament run should remain in reach for the Riders.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
