Fresh off of a 3A Greater St. Helens League title, the Prairie Falcons girls soccer team upheld their dominant league run by winning two games in the 3A District 4 tournament against league foes Mountain View and Kelso.
Prairie High School girls soccer coach Ryan Glaser said team chemistry and belief in one another have been the driving forces behind the Falcons' success this season as they prepare for the state tournament.
Prairie continued its strong run with a gritty 1-0 victory over Mountain View on Tuesday, Nov. 3, earning a golden-goal win after a challenging opening half.
“I think the first half we were a little disconnected, unorganized a bit,” Glaser said after the win over Mountain View. “I think we were worried about a couple players on Mountain View who are fantastic soccer players. So we just mentally weren't ready, I think, in that first half, but the girls fought through it.”
The Falcons responded after halftime, refocusing and returning to their style of play to secure the victory.
“We refocused at halftime and they came out and played their game and got that 1-0 win,” Glaser said.
The win over Mountain View punched the Falcons’ ticket to the 3A girls soccer state tournament. The Falcons followed up with a 2-0 win over Kelso High School on Thursday, Nov. 5.
With their ticket to state already punched, the Nov. 5 result not only claimed the district title, but bettered their seeding position. On Sunday, Nov. 8, the WIAA state seeding committee gave Prairie the No. 18 seed with the Falcons first matchup against Bellarmine Prep on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at Bellarmine Prep High School in Tacoma. Results were unavailable as of press time.
The team's success has been built throughout the season, including a preseason schedule featuring strong 2A and 4A programs. Glaser said those matchups helped prepare the Falcons for league competition while identifying areas where the team needed to improve.
“The girls understood it going into this year that's going to prepare us for our league and, you know, going forward playing against those big teams, it shows us what we need to work on,” Glaser said.
He added that the players have become more disciplined tactically and emotionally as the season progressed, helping Prairie establish a strong rhythm during league play.
When asked about the biggest factor behind the team's accomplishments, Glaser pointed to the relationships among the players.
“Team chemistry, one hundred percent. Absolutely, their belief in each other has been the biggest thing with this group,” he said.
The Falcons' four captains — Ava Wishard, Emersyn Wishard, Bella Burlile and Kennedy Lund — have played an important role in maintaining that connection and keeping the team focused throughout the season.
As Prairie turns its attention toward the state tournament, Glaser said the team is embracing the possibility of entering as an underdog before having known the seed for the state tournament.
“These girls are going to enjoy that,” he said. “They're going to thrive on being that underdog and teams aren't going to know what to do with us when they see us come out and play.”
Glaser said he believes the Falcons can compete if they continue playing to their potential.
“I'm just super proud of this team,” he said, praising the players for their ability to regroup after the first half against Mountain View.
