Nothing beats experience, and, the Kennedy Lancers have a lot of it. But they had a somewhat exciting time of it with Seamount League rival Mount Rainier being ahead by one goal late, before winning, 3-1, at their home Starfire Sports Complex field turf place Thursday.

"We won league last year with one senior starting," said Kennedy coach Doug Stamnes.

It's a good team indeed again, as the Lancers were quarterfinalists the last two seasons in the 3A girls state tournament.

This game against the Rams, a dominating effort for the most part, probably controlling the ball 80 percent of the time to the Rams' 20, was for first place because the Rams had not lost until this one. The Lancers had a tie against Lindbergh, though. So this was a necessary win. And, if no team loses again this season until these two meet again about a month from now then that should decide the Seamount crown.

Kennedy scored first. Senior captain Amanda Arntz knocked the round ball home at the 19th minute, assist to Amy Holland. Then it stayed like that until midway through the second half when senior captain Jackie Thomas dribbled inside the 18 and blasted it far post.

Mount Rainier was not out even though they were down, 2-0 with a third of the game to go about. It was a corner kick effort of Shelby Blair, a junior forward finding senior Sarah Martinez for the score, only one minute later, at the 63rd minute, 2-1.

Then the Rams had another chance to tie things up when senior, captain, Becky Harris had a one-on-one chance. But her dribbling into the 18-yard box was not to be as denying goalkeeper of Kennedy, and also a Lancers captain and senior, Ashley Engel, blocked the chance.

"I had a chance," said Harris. "I blew it. I got overwhelmed, panicked. But we got them again next month. Hopefully, we'll beat 'em."

Kennedy is good.

"Yes, but we had an off night, we will be back," said Harris.

The Lancers pushed off the Rams for good by scoring a third goal to answer the Rams' score. That made it 3-1 when, at the 74th minute, Arntz touched the ball from the penalty box area 12 yards out into the far post corner with not enough pace to make the ball in on its own. But sophomore Shey Thommasen helped the ball find the net, smashing it in amid a melee of Rams defenders.

So, so far, so good for the Lancers, first place, by a half game, over their rival.

"It's been a great season," said Arntz. "We have a lot of young talent and our bench is the strongest it's been. No matter what happens to an individual player, our team will be good."

And the coaching is always good as Stamnes has this team on top as usual.

"We have always had good support from our coaches," said Arntz.

The Rams coach, Jerry Capodanno, knows that this game got away, in his mind anyway. And it got away because the mind game was won by the Lancers before things even started.

"You can't play this game if you are nervous," said Capodanno. "You have to be excited and show up with confidence. They know how to play better. They can't let them get to the endline and play the ball back. They know. They know."

So no one seems worried from the Rams' ranks, they are just ready to get back at Kennedy for this one.

"We can play better," said Capodanno. "We have I think it's Renton, Lindbergh, Hazen, three games. Hopefully we might get in a groove. We had a great practice all week long because we didn't have a game Tuesday because of a forfeit by Evergreen. We have to play in games like we practice and we have got to make our chances. That's been a problem for us, but we will fix it."

Stamnes was nearly repair-free thinking of this game as he called this win over the Rams "the best played game by far this season."

Only one thing Stamnes was not happy with.

"I was not pleased we gave up that goal," he said.

And that was only the second goal given up in six games so Stamnes can't be anything but pretty pleased so far this season.

"We are stronger than we have been in awhile," said Arntz, who has played on the last two Lancers team, doing good things as they have made it to the quarterfinals.

Before that, the Lancers were state champs and state runner-ups consecutively if memory serves correct. So, if they are better than the two quarterfinal losses the last two years that puts the Lancers right back at the top again. And that means others confidence and excitability better be top notch.

Should be exciting.