A late trophy made its way to Tiger Stadium as the girls’ soccer teams from W.F. West and Centralia faced off in an intense match. Emotions ran high, with cheers of joy and frustration echoing through the air, even resulting in a red card being issued.
This match was part of the new one-game format for the Chronicle Cup, and the Bearcats emerged victorious. They defeated their rivals, the Tigers, 3-0, thanks to two second-half goals from Ashlen Gruginski and a strong defensive performance by sophomore Charlee Nelson.
“We just have to go and fight,” Gruginski said. “We’ve gotten stronger from losing. We have to work and get through it.”
After the game, W.F. West (11-3, 7-2) celebrated by rushing to midfield, cheering as they lifted the trophy for their fans. The team gathered for a photo and sang the school song, marking a special moment for the eight seniors who have never lost the cup.
“It feels really nice to keep it, and we love winning that together,” said senior defender Kaija Economou. “Our team is the same, but we feel more together.”
Coach Kevin Schultz’s program secured the No. 2 seed in the Evergreen Conference for the upcoming Class 2A District 4 tournament. The Bearcats will begin their postseason journey next Saturday against R.A. Long, a rematch of last year’s district quarterfinals, which ended in a 5-0 loss for W.F. West.
This season, the Bearcats have shown consistent improvement under Schultz’s leadership.
“They believe in themselves,” he said. “Just being confident when the game is on the line, we’re going to find the goals.”
As the season progressed, W.F. West maintained its strategy of playing strong defense, supported by a solid back line. The team has achieved eight shutouts with one regular-season game left. Nelson made several key saves to keep the clean sheet, and the Bearcats have not allowed a goal against Centralia in their last four matchups.
“We’re all super close, and our communication is spot on,” Economou added.
The Bearcats started strong when Wyatt Rogerson’s shot took a strange bounce and slipped past Centralia goalkeeper Braylee Blakenship in the eighth minute, giving them an early 1-0 lead.
In the 43rd minute, Gruginski found the net with a powerful shot, doubling the lead. She scored again in the 53rd minute with an assist from Rogerson’s free kick.
“They help me so much, setting me up perfectly for wide-open shots,” Gruginski said.
Despite Blakenship’s two saved penalty kicks, Centralia’s frustrations boiled over. Tigers junior Izabella Hernandez received a yellow card in the first half and a second yellow in the second half, resulting in a red card. As she left the field, head coach Luis Magana reacted by kicking small green cones across the track.
“Today was pushing my buttons, but I never want to blame anything on the officiating,” Magana stated.
Centralia will finish its regular season against Tumwater and prepare for a pigtail contest against either Woodland or Washougal. Magana is optimistic about his team’s chances in the playoffs.
“We get to fight and live another day,” he said. “The season is not over.”
W.F. West, having responded well to a previous loss to Tumwater, is eager to keep the momentum going.
“Our goals were to finish in the top two in the league and keep the Chronicle Cup at home,” Schultz said. “We keep the ball so much that we don’t have to be under pressure.”
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