Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
History was made tonight as the Chief Sealth International High School girls’ soccer team qualified for the state tournament for the first time in school history.
The Seahawks won their WIAA playoff game against the Lindbergh Eagles at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex in dramatic fashion, on penalty kicks after the two teams played to a hard-fought 2-2 draw at the end of regulation plus a scoreless extra period.
Next up for the 2A Metro League champions from Sealth, who are now 11-3-4 for the season, is a tough road match against the Cedarcrest High School Red Wolves at their home turf in Duvall on Saturday November 8th at 1 pm. This is the final game of districts, and both teams have already qualified for the state tournament which runs November 12-23 at Mt. Tahoma High School.
Proud coach Michael Rillo (at center in the photo below), in his 6th year at Sealth, was emotional after the game and said the team “played their hearts out” to reach “something this school has never achieved.”
The match on Wednesday night was a back-and-forth contest, with Sealth striking first about 10 minutes into the first half on a goal by sophomore Leslie Nunez Castro.
Lindbergh answered with a goal 27 minutes into the half, then Sealth senior Emma Haynes knocked in a goal of her own in the final minutes of the half, and the Seahawks led 2-1 at halftime.
Lindbergh tied the game 2-2 on a goal 25 minutes into the second half, and the score remained 2-2 at the end of regulation.
The teams battled in the overtime period and the score remained 2-2. The match then went to penalty kicks:
Each team then made all 5 initial kicks, so the PKs continued with each team making every shot until Sealth sophomore goalie Davis Mapes stopped Lindbergh’s 12th kick, and then the Seahawks’ Nunez Castro knocked in her kick to win the game.
More photos below:
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