Prep roundup: Preslie Young leads Ridgeline over Ferris in 3A first round; Gonzaga Prep, Lewis and Clark advance in 4A

The Ridgeline girls soccer program earned its first Greater Spokane League 4A/3A championship – in its third year of existence – last week with a win over Gonzaga Prep in the final game of the regular season. But the still-young Falcons aren’t satisfied with a regular-season crown.

Senior Preslie Young scored the first two goals of the game and the top-seeded Falcons (12-2) beat visiting eighth-seeded Ferris (7-9) 5-0 in a District 8 3A first-round game on Tuesday.

Freshman goalie Aliana Vakaloloma made three saves for the clean sheet.

Ridgeline hosts fifth-seeded Mt. Spokane – a 3-0 winner at Walla Walla – in a semifinal on Saturday; Ferris plays at Walla Walla in an elimination game.

While the Falcons – ranked fourth in 3A by the state’s RPI – want a long run at state, they are proud of winning the league.

“I was sending out emails to the whole program this weekend, and I was just like, ‘Words aren’t even there,’ ” Ridgeline coach Tiera Como said. “We’re so honored that only three years in and we are GSL champs. It has a lot to do with everyone from the top to bottom. Even our C squad is dominating. Our JV went undefeated in league, and it comes from everybody.”

Young, as she has done her entire three-year career for Ridgeline, got her team on the board first in the 22nd minute as she gathered a loose ball in the penalty box and fought through traffic to beat Ferris goalie Lexi Simpson.

“Once I get into that 18- (yard box) or even our half I’m so goal hungry,” Young said. “I see that goal and I’m like, ‘I need to shoot. I need a goal.’ I’m like, ‘Whatever it takes to have our team win.’ ”

Como wasn’t satisfied with the one-goal lead at halftime.

“We talked at halftime,” she said. “We just weren’t stepping up to the level of play that we normally do. The intensity wasn’t there. The passes weren’t crisp, and we just told him at halftime, ‘We’re not playing our game, so we need to step up and play our game second half.’ ”

Six minutes into the second half, Young made it 2-0 after sustained pressure by the Falcons attackers. Junior Natalie Thompson converted a crossing pass from Gianna Moriniti in the 61st minute for some insurance.

“(Young) is that spark that every team needs,” Como said. “And she presses from top to bottom – doesn’t matter if it’s the goalkeeper or them playing in the back.”

Quinn Mueller and Jamie Lawrence added late goals to provide the final margin.

“I think we were pretty disappointed with how we were last year at state,” Young said. “We just want to go farther, and I think we can this year.”

District 8 4A

Gonzaga Prep 4, Hanford 0: Jennah Wanner registered a hat trick and the second-seeded Bullpups (12-2) beat the visiting seventh-seeded Falcons (7-10) in a first-round game.

Wanner completed the hat trick in the 66th minute on a penalty kick for G-Prep, which hosts Richland in a semifinal Saturday.

Lewis and Clark 3, Kamiakin 2: Keegan Tee scored the go-ahead goal in the 80th minute, lifting the fourth-seeded Tigers (7-6-3) over the visiting fifth-seeded Braves (11-6) in a first-round game at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Tee had two goals and an assist – all in the second half after falling behind 2-0. LC travels to top-seeded Chiawana for a semifinal Saturday.

Richland 5, Central Valley 0: The third-seeded Bombers (16-1) beat the visiting sixth-seeded Bears (0-14) in a first-round game. CV hosts Hanford in an elimination game Saturday.

District 8 3A

University 6, Hermiston (Oregon) 0: Carsyn Gildehaus and Bella Longo scored two goals apiece and the third-seeded Titans (12-3) blanked the visiting sixth-seeded Bulldogs (5-12) in a first-round game. U-Hi hosts Mead in a semifinal on Saturday.

Mead 3, Southridge 1: Teryn Gardner scored two goals, with an insurance marker in the 47th minute, and the visiting seventh-seeded Panthers (10-7) beat the second-seeded Suns (10-7) in a first-round game. Mia Spier made three saves for Mead.

Volleyball 4A/3A

Gonzaga Prep 3, Cheney 0: Maddie Finnegan had 13 kills, 10 digs and two aces and the Bullpups (14-1, 8-1) beat the visiting Blackhawks (4-10, 0-8) 25-17, 25-9, 25-21.

Mead 3, North Central 0: Lorna Selby had nine kills, Maya Cassel added 29 assists and the visiting Panthers (12-1, 9-0) swept the Wolfpack (4-11, 0-8) 25-9, 25-17, 25-16.

Central Valley 3, Ridgeline 2: Keilee Eskelsen had 15 kills, Elliana Roullier added 22 assists and the visiting Bears (5-9, 5-3) edged the Falcons (7-5, 4-4) 26-24, 14-25, 25-22, 18-25, 15-12. 

Ferris 3, Lewis and Clark 2: Emma Hutchison had 13 kills with four aces and the Saxons (6-7, 4-4) beat the visiting Tigers (6-8, 4-4) 25-23, 16-25, 25-22, 14-25, 16-14. 

2A

West Valley 3, Shadle Park 0: Hailey Colyar had 16 kills and the Eagles (9-5, 6-2) swept the visiting Highlanders (12-1, 7-1) 25-21, 25-13, 25-22. Abbey Flerchinger had 13 kills for Shadle.

East Valley 3, Rogers 0: Kaiden Davis had 12 kills with five aces and the visiting Knights (3-11, 2-6) swept the Pirates (1-13, 0-8) 25-17, 25-19, 25-18. 

Pullman 3, Clarkston 1: Sophie Armstrong had 14 kills, Gabriella Oliver added 37 assists and the visiting Greyhounds (9-5, 6-2) defeated the Bantams (6-9, 3-7) 25-11, 18-25, 25-11, 25-21.