After 80 minutes of regulation soccer between W.F. West and Ridgefield, the talk in the huddle led by Bearcats head coach Kevin Schultz wasn’t even about the 10 extra minutes.
He was already looking at a penalty kick shootout in a scoreless match. So he asked the girls one simple question:
“Who’s confident?”
And Ellie Mittge raised her hand. Flashback three years ago, two years ago, even last year, she wouldn’t have done that.
“I had never been confident enough to take a PK in a game and for some reason, I felt really confident,” the senior stated.
“She makes them pretty much every time in practice,” Schultz added. “We’ve been practicing them everyday for a week now. To me, it’s the players.”
Practice makes perfect.
Mittge stepped up in the sixth round of the shootout and fired the game-winning goal in the bottom right corner, then goalkeeper Charlee Nelson made the final save to give the EvCo No. 2 seeded Bearcats a 1-0 (3-2 PKs) triumph over the GSHL No. 3 seed and two-time defending state champions Ridgefield.
As soon as Nelson made the final save, she was swarmed by her teammates.The junior started her first game since clearing concussion protocol. She made a handful of saves in regulation, but none bigger than her two shootout saves.
“I love this team so much and I would do anything for them,” Nelson said. “I was so happy they trusted me.”
One giant was slayed by W.F. West (13-2-1) on Saturday. Now comes the second beast on Tuesday when it treks to Columbia River High School to battle the unbeaten Rapids in the Class 2A District 4 semifinals for a 6 p.m. kickoff.
The only slight blemish on Columbia River’s resume is a draw with 4A Skyview back in September. Its conceded just four goals all season.
“To me, this is a state team and we gotta go earn it,” Schultz said. “They showed a lot of toughness and resiliency. They know they’re not done. No game is easy, but that’s what makes it fun.”
Ashlen Gruginski started off the shootout with a laser to the bottom right, then three straight W.F. West misses gave Ridgefield (10-8) life. AJ Tretheway and Samantha Solis scored for the Spudders in the second and fourth rounds to give them a 2-1 lead.
Lauren Kelley made it 2-2. Ellie Wilson walked up to take the next Ridgefield PK and it sailed just over the bar.
“I was very relieved,” Nelson said.
“That girl is probably their best player,” Schultz added. “You kind of take a breath.”
As Mittge waltzed her way to line up her attempt, there weren’t nerves or anxiousness.
“It could have been the adrenaline and I really wanted to win,” Mittge said.
One of nine seniors that may have played their final game at home, Mittge made sure to soak it all in. And Schultz, in his third year at the helm of the program, gave the midfielder her flowers.
“She’s the rock of our team,” Schultz said. “I don't think there is a better defensive midfielder in our league. For her to get that penalty and make the winning one was very fitting.”
The 90 minutes of game action ended up as a stalemate.
W.F. West had a couple corner kicks in the opening 15 minutes that didn’t find the back of the net. Ridgefield proceeded to dominate possession for the rest of the first half and it amped up the pressure with four shots on frame.
The back line of the Bearcats was a question mark at the start of the season with only Violet Ratke returning as a starter. Over the last month, the unit has allowed three goals.
“Watching them on film, we didn't want to let the forwards get behind us,” Schultz said. “Make things predictable for Charlee. So many of the saves she’s there, in position and she reads it well.”
Outside of a corner and a short cross Gruginski attempted, the second half wasn’t prime for chances either. Neither were the two extra time periods.
Still, W.F. West is a win away from its first state tournament in 13 years. And in a district with one less state spot, getting the first win was crucial in the eyes of Mittge, Nelson and Schultz.
“So important, I just felt complete joy afterwards,” Mittge said.
