When Michelle Bretl’s penalty shot skidded into the lower left corner of the net Saturday night at Lakewood’s Harry Lang Stadium, the celebration was on.
For the second consecutive year, and just the second time in school history, the Skyline girls soccer team claimed a state championship — this time knocking off rival Issaquah 2-1, by way of a shootout.
“To repeat as state champions in this state is probably the most difficult challenge I can picture for a high school team,” Spartan head coach Don Braman said. “The way they did it, by always competing, always playing tough and just being so stingy on conceding goals — it’s exactly the kind of thing we wanted out of them.”
The Spartans and Eagles were forced to a best-of-five shootout after ending 80 minutes of regulation and two 5-minute overtimes tied, 1-1.
“In the end, it ended up a classic Issaquah-Skyline brawl,” Issaquah head coach Tom Bunnell said.
Clutch goalkeeping from Skyline’s Tina Vargas, however, made the difference in the shootout. The junior made two diving saves, as the Spartans outscored the Eagles 3-1.
“She is able to go to a place mentally very few players I’ve ever had have been able to go to,” Braman said. “She’s just become absolutely dominate in penalty-kick situations. Even the ones that they kicked wide are ones that she influences.”
Vargas, who split time with senior goalkeeper Jill Stika all season, credited her teammate for shutting out Issaquah in the first half. Stika didn’t allow a state tournament goal in four full games last year, or four halves this year.
Vargas also relished in her opportunity.
“I knew at some point in my high school career I’d be able to play in the state championship game,” she said. “I knew when I was going to play in that game, I would have to give it my all.”
Maddie Christ, Coral Anderson and Bretl provided the offensive firepower for the Spartans, blasting in the match-clinching penalty kicks.
Skyline took the first lead of the game in the 14th minute when Shea O’Donnell got free on a breakaway and beat goalkeeper Brooke Miller in a one-on-one situation.
Issaquah fought back to tie the contest in the 45th minute when Kristin Maris booted in a shot off an assist from Audrey Thomas. It was the 21st goal of the season for Maris, who ended one goal shy of the school record for goals in a season.
Both teams had several opportunities to knock in the go-ahead goal over the game’s final 35 minutes, but shots sailed just wide of net and short of the goal line.
“It was a great game,” Bunnell said. “The intensity’s amazing between the two teams.”
The Spartans, who struggled at points of the season, ended their season with an 18-4 record.
“We had a really tough patch in the middle, and we needed to work out some kinks,” Braman said. “The girls stuck with us and we learned some things.”
Issaquah, which defeated Skyline 3-1 on Nov. 3 to win the KingCo 4A title, ended its season with a 17-3 overall record. Under Bunnell, the Eagles have made it to the state tournament championship game five out of his six years at the helm. That run has included three state titles in 2004, 2006 and 2007. The Eagles finished as runners up in 2005. Looking down at his second-place trophy Saturday, Bunnell still managed to crack a smile.
“We’ve created something really special, that’s the best part about it,” he said. “When I took this (job) I thought it was going to just be a fun little opportunity … little did I know it was turn into this culture.”
