Prep Soccer | 4A Girls: Skyline, Issaquah in all-KingCo final

LAKEWOOD — Saturday's Class 4A girls soccer state championship game will be a rubber match, but defending champ Skyline of Sammamish had to get through an epic shootout that went nine players deep for the chance to repeat.

Spartans goalkeeper Tina Vargas made a season-saving block and her team converted seven of its nine penalty kicks to win via a 7-6 shootout Friday night in a 1-0 semifinal victory over Kentwood of Covington. The teams had played through a scoreless regulation and two overtimes at Harry Lang Stadium.

"I never want to go through that again, but it feels good to win my second PK shootout," said Vargas, who also made two saves in a quarterfinal shootout win against Tahoma of Maple Valley.

No. 7 Skyline (17-4-0) plays league rival Issaquah (17-2-0) for the championship at 4 p.m. Saturday. It will be the second straight all-KingCo state final. The Spartans beat Woodinville 2-0 for the title last season.

Earlier this season, the Spartans beat Issaquah 2-0 in a regular-season game, but the Eagles won the KingCo championship game, 3-1.

"I think I said when we lost to them that I wanted to play them again," said Skyline coach Don Braman. "That would mean we'd have gone a long way."

It was the first loss for ninth-ranked Kentwood (16-1-4), which had already clinched a school-best finish by reaching the semifinals for the first time.

"I keep saying it, I think KingCo's the best league in the state," said Kentwood coach Aaron Radford.

Other semifinal

Issaquah 3, Kamiakin 1

Kristin Maris scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the third-ranked Eagles back to the title game, where they have been five of the last six years.

Led by its nine seniors, Issaquah (17-2-0) has used last season's first-round loss to Tahoma as motivation.

"Last year, we were disappointed in our finish," said Maris, whose team-leading 20 goals are two behind Kate Deines' school record. "Everyone wants to end our season with a win and a championship."

Maris, a senior forward, scored off headers in the 20th and 38th minutes. In the 51st minute, she set up Lindsay Stoll, who hammered home a beautiful shot in the upper corner of the net.

Issaquah has won three Class 3A titles since 2004, but never a 4A title. Coach Tom Bunnell thinks team chemistry is at an all-time high.

"You have a group of girls that really like each other and work hard for each other," Bunnell said. "It's an amazing effort to get back here."

The No. 6 Braves of Kennewick (18-2-1) scored in the 26th minute on a goal by Emilee Meyer.