La Center, Ridgefield and Hockinson boys high school soccer teams did not advance into the state round after their district tournaments last week.
The La Center Wildcats first began their 1A District 4 tournament with a 4-1 loss to Raymond-South Bend on Saturday, May 10. After being sent to the losers bracket, in a win-or-go-home matchup with Montesano High School, the Wildcats picked up a 4-3 win on the road on Tuesday, May 13. The losers bracket win gave the Wildcats two chances to clinch a state berth.
Against a familiar foe in the King’s Way Christian Knights, La Center lost the first winner-to-state game with a 3-1 result to the Knights on Thursday, May 15. With one more chance to earn a trip to the 1A state soccer tournament, the Wildcats carded a 1-0 loss to Rochester High School to close out the season on Saturday, May 17.
In the 2A District 4 tournament, both Ridgefield High School and Hockinson High School had shots at a state tournament berth but fell short.
The Ridgefield Spudders entered the tournament in dramatic fashion with a 2-1 win in penalty kicks over Centralia High School on Thursday, May 8, in the pigtail round. The Spuds next kept it close with Columbia River High School in a 3-1 loss on Saturday, May 10.
Having entered the losers bracket, Ridgefield brought prior experience in penalty kicks to score a 4-3 win in a loser out matchup with Aberdeen High School on Tuesday, May 13. After the Evergreen Conference’s No. 1 seed was knocked off, the Spudders had a tough hill to climb for a state tournament bid on Thursday, May 15. The Spuds season came to a close against Tumwater High School with a 5-1 score.
The Hockinson Hawks earned the 2A Greater St. Helens League’s No. 2 seed for the district tournament but did not live up to seed expectations. The Hawks began the journey with a 2-1 loss to W.F. West High School on Saturday, May 10. The loss knocked the Hawks into the losers bracket against a league opponent they just lost to in the regular season.
The Hawks got their payback against Hudson’s Bay High School with a 6-1 win on their home turf on Tuesday, May 13, in a loser out match. Hockinson next hosted R.A. Long High School on Thursday, May 15, in a winner-to-state or loser out affair. The Hawks season came to a close with a 2-1 loss to the Lumberjacks.
