Evergreen Lutheran is going somewhere its girls soccer team has never been in 10 years of existence at this little school off 260th and Pacific Highway in Kent.

The state final is where!

The Eagle girls beat Ocosta (Westport area), 4-0, in a game they controlled from the start of its semifinal playoff at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner Fridav

Improving its record to 10-4-3, the Eagles played LaSalle in the championship on Saturday, Nov. 22 after press time.

Now the championship?

“Now the championship,” repeated senior captain Grace Bender, affirmatively, smiling..

It was just a more ready Eagles team, as the Ocosta team has also never had made it to the final four of the 1B/2B state playoffs.

“I think we were really ready for this,” said Bender.

From the start.

The Eagles scored just eight minutes into the first half, off sophomore Kaetlyn Weber’s shot off a corner kick from Grace Lorette

Things stayed like that for 10 minutes. At the 18th minute, Bender took the ball from the defender and shot it in to make it 2-0.

“Katelyn crossed it to me and I took the ball outside and inside and volleyed it,” said Bender, describing her score.We have a really good team that spreads out our assists and goals and we work together to win.”

“Things are pretty spread out scoring wise,” said Eagles coach Stan Cole.

Bender has nine goals and seven assists from her center midfield spot and teammate Grace Lorette is seven and five to name two along with Megan Valerio, who has 10 goals to just lead the team.

Next, in the second half, in the 55th minute, Kailey Fuegmann scored on a chip lob from the penalty kick hash mark, perfectly placed over the keeper’s head to make it 3-0.

A similar goal came next from Valerio, who dribbled it as it bounced unsteadily, controlling it fully and, after a first resistance from the defense deflecting it, stayed with the ball and put it in from 12 yards out over the keeper’s head like Fueggman did 22 minutes earlier as this final score for Evergreen Lutheran came in the 72nd minute.

The difference was what, besides the Eagles coming out just looking, and playing, more ready.

“Our ball control was good,” said Cole. “Our defenders were a little faster than their forwards. We have been working on communication.”

Bender added “And passing to feet.”

Cole added,” And it really came together.”

Now this Eagles team will be together for one more.

About time for Bender and, being a senior, no better time than the present to finally make the championship.

“We were around .500 my freshman season,” she said. “Then we had a winning season the next year (in ‘06) and lost in the playoffs.”