With no margin for error, Hockinson girls' soccer head coach Tony Ayala is all about getting points in each match, as his Hawks have found themselves battling for second place in the 2A Greater St. Helens League.
The Hawks beat the R.A. Long Lumberjills 3-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 21. The win was crucial, but Ayala said how important it’d be to come away with at least a point by taking Columbia River into overtime in the next game on Thursday, Oct. 23.
Hockinson failed to do so in a 2-0 loss to the runaway league champs. The Hawks followed that up with an X-X win over Hudson’s Bay High School on Saturday, Oct. 25. They next played Mark Morris High School on Tuesday, Oct. 28 to conclude the regular season, but results were unavailable at press time.
Hockinson held a four-point advantage over Ridgefield in the league standings after the loss to Columbia River High School.
“This is a massive game for us,” Ayala said after the 3-0 win over R.A. Long on Oct. 21. “Ridgefield’s nipping at our heels. … So we just don't have any room for error. But I’m feeling good about the season, players' spirits are good.”
Eight seniors have led the Hawks, but night after night, even some freshmen are stepping up to add to the success, Ayala said. Senior forward Kaili Humphrey has been a force to be reckoned with, even if she doesn’t score a goal.
“You know, Kaili Humphrey has been huge for us,” Ayala said. “She’s a senior and was first team all-league last year, and so she started the season right where she left off, scoring goals. You saw her with some great assists tonight. The great thing about her is that she doesn’t always have to be a goal scorer.”
This year’s districts will be a tough hill to climb, with only three teams advancing to state, compared to last year’s four. The Hawks are looking to have repeat state playoff berths, but Ayala said dropping a team to state in the district tournament adds a whole new element. Ayala knows how strong the 2A GSHL teams are entering the district tournament, which starts on Saturday, Nov. 1. He added that no team in the tournament can be overlooked.
“The aim is to get a good seed in districts and come out and compete and play well,” he said. “So that’s still on our minds, right? But one game at a time is what we have to do with this point system.”
