Terrific testimonies by a determined defense helped John F. Kennedy Catholic deliver a 1-0 verdict against Bainbridge on Tuesday in a loser-out Class 3A state girls soccer preliminary round match.

Kennedy (19-1) faced West Valley (Yakima) at Cottonwood Field in Yakima on Saturday, Nov. 14 in a quarterfinal round. A win there moves the Lancers into the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 20, at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood. Bainbridge concluded its season at 14-6-3.

“That was a tough team,” said Kennedy head coach Doug Stamnes. “They were very physical. Our defensive play was excellent. Sam (Crawley) and Kristen (Olson) did a great job. All our defenders played well.”

For much of the game, the strong Spartans flexed their muscles while continually firing most of the threatening shots. Like deadly dreadnoughts in enemy waters, the Bainbridge shooters targeted the Lancer goal. Holding their ground, the solid- as- a- rock Kennedy defenders held off the hordes of Spartan attackers.

In the midst of steady Sumner shelling, the Lancers cleared the ball for a sudden strike on a collaborative effort by co-captains Julie Besgano and Rebekah Kurle. Besagno crossed a pass into the center for Kurle to split the center from 18 yards out for the go-ahead and eventual winning score at 47:27 of elapsed time.

“After I got the ball from Julie, I cut back with the right foot and kicked with my left,” said Kurle. “The goal helped us raise our camaraderie and confidence.”

Within minutes of the goal, the reinforced confidence of Kennedy emerged in the form of well constructed continuous attacks that endangered the Bainbridge goal area. Lancer power now ruled the turf.

With the Kennedy offense moving the ball quickly and efficiently to their strikers almost at will, the Spartans were afforded few opportunities to even the score and were fortunate that the numerous JFK jaunts into scoring land yielded no more goals. Kennedy had a power shot that was barely saved inside 19 minutes in regulation as well as a ball that rolled across the front of goal as part of the energized Lancer offensive onslaught that carried the fight to Bainbridge until the final whistle.

As a sizeable contingent from Bainbridge cheered them on, the Spartans exercised territorial rights to the Highline Stadium field, keeping Kennedy Catholic fighting off repeated excursions into the Lancer side of midfield.

Absorbing the full force of the bombardments, the Lancers escaped to halftime in a 0-0 tie.

“We had some issues in the midfield,” admitted Besagno. “Once we adjusted our formations and placement of layers, we did much better.”

Danielle Bojorquez, Susan Hildebrandt and Maria Diel also stood out in a truly hard-as-a-rock defensive stand.

Adding to the Kennedy cheers as they prepared to board the Kennedy bus was freshman Dee Dee Green, who celebrated her birthday as part of the JFK victory proceedings.
 
“It was a good birthday present,” she beamed. “It was fun.”
 
Called upon as the final line of defense, a busy Lancer goalkeeper Ashley Chard was outstanding while recording the shutout.