Community Sports

Sports Beat | Tides edge Seahawks for girls soccer title

Gig Harbor (11-2, 11-0 Puget Sound League) capped off a perfect regular season and clinched the Puget Sound League girls soccer championship with a 1-0 win over Peninsula (6-6-1, 6-4-1 PSL) at Roy Anderson Field on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Both teams came into the rivalry game with divisional championships under their belts. Peninsula won the Nisqually Division by a game over Timberline and Gig Harbor won the Narrows Division title by two games over Bellarmine.

They met on a blustery night. A 25-mph side wind gusted off Henderson Bay, making judging a flying soccer ball exponentially more difficult.

Gig Harbor soccer players celebrate their league championship-clinching win. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Seahawks dominated first half

The Seahawks controlled the ball for much of the first half and at one point launched five straight shots on the Tides’ goal.

Peninsula paid extra defensive attention to Gig Harbor forward Violett Lester. Seahawk defenseman Alex Chicanski blanketed Lester for much of the first half, as it was clear that Peninsula wanted to prevent Lester from free runs at the goal.

Both teams had their chances in the first half.

Seahawk junior midfielder Brooklyn Mays made plays all over the field and nearly scored on a pair of long, high-bouncing free kicks.

The Tides almost pulled off a 35-yard, trick-or-treat goal on a free kick, with Lester faking the kick before Janelle Jones sent a missile that bounced hard off the top post.

Ella Lee (left) of Peninsula and Janelle Jones of Gig Harbor during the Tides’ 1-0 win on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Jones, a senior defensemen, resembled a border collie herding sheep, harassing Seahawks before she redirected the ball away.

“Janelle … she’s a beast, you can count on her to get the job done,” teammate Nadia Schwab said.

“Janelle’s our brick wall back there,” Lester said. “Nothing gets by her. She shells people up that are so much bigger than her, she gets it done.”

Tides’ breakthrough

Schwab sat out the first half to help keep her fresh for the postseason. But when she entered at halftime, she helped change the game.

With a little more than 14 minutes remaining, Lester sprinted up the sideline to receive a 40-yard pass from Louden. She sped past a defender, drew the attention of freshman Seahawk goalie Emma Petersen, then crossed the ball to Schwab. Her rocket into the net was the only goal of the game.

“It felt so good to get that goal, with how far we’ve come this year and our team chemistry,” Schwab said. “That goal was a perfect team goal, a beautiful ball from Ann then a great cross from V. It just worked out so well.”

The shutout was the Tides’ ninth in 13 games this season, a breakout campaign for sophomore goalie Kayanna Haffercamp.

“Kayanna is amazing. She’ll do anything for the team, she’ll put her body through anyone,” Lester said. “She’s hardcore strong and she knows it, she’ll even tell us that.”

Gig Harbor goalie Kayanna Hafferkamp kept a clean sheet in the Tides’ win over Peninsula. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Rematch possible

Gig Harbor earned the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the District 3 tournament. They may see the Seahawks again.

No. 10 Peninsula plays sixth-seeded Enumclaw (9-5-3) in the first round at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Enumclaw. The winner of that game plays Gig Harbor at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Mount Tahoma.

Nadia Schwab (left) and Violett Lester celebrate after Schwab’s game-winning goal. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Peninsula wins nine of 12 events at league swim meet

Peninsula dominated the field at the Puget Sound League Swimming and Diving championships on Oct. 23 and 24, winning nine of 12 events and scoring 380 points.

The Seahawks overwhelmed their closest competitors Silas (294) and Gig Harbor (242) and took the top two spots in four events.

“Winning is great, but what I’m most proud of is how we did it. We work so hard together and for each other,” coach Hunter Hobbs said. “These girls cheer for each other and for our competitors and they show up every day ready to learn and adapt. I’m impressed by them constantly in and out of the water.”

Boe Ballard, Jewel Gullum, Sophia Evers, Reese Miller, Lee Gjertson, Bianca Henderson and Leila Roddy won league championships.

The Seahawks are now looking for a District 3 championship on Oct. 30 and 31 at the Mount Tahoma High School Aquatic Center and will bring a formidable team to the state meet in Federal Way the following week.

Gig Harbor sophomore Jane Jackman won the PSL one-meter diving championship with 423.10 points, outdistancing her nearest competitor by 42 points. She is the reigning Class 3A diving state champion.

Tides sweep XC titles

Gig Harbor won both the girls and boys Puget Sound League cross country championships at Fort Steilacoom Park on Oct. 24 for the second straight year

The boys won by 28 points and the girls won by 34 points. Bellarmine was second and Peninsula third in both meets.

Boys

Tides senior Max Dower and Central Kitsap standout Mana Voss battled for 15 minutes over 5,000 meters of hills and uneven terrain. Both kicked to the finish line, but Voss edged Dower by just a second (15:35) to claim victory.

Tides senior Joshua Minner finished fifth, junior Jalen Peloquin finished sixth and senior Jack Greer finished seventh. Peninsula junior Wyatt Harding finished eighth and Seahawks sophomore Nolan Winderl was ninth.

Girls

Gig Harbor junior Ella Savage ran away from the field with a dominating 16-second victory to claim the league title in 18:50.17.

Tides sophomore Brynnlie Upchurch was second, Peninsula junior Ascher Lascheck finished third and Gig Harbor sophomore Maya Crane took fourth.

From left, Brynnile Upchurch, Ella Savage and Maya Crane of Gig Harbor run just in front of Ascher Lascheck of Peninsula. Photo by Blake Knodel