Bremerton, Central Kitsap boys soccer teams punch tickets to state tournament
Bremerton's boys soccer team went into Saturday's Class 2A West Central/Sea-King Bi-District playoff game against White River knowing a victory would secure a state tournament berth for the first time since 2011.
Senior Diego Clemen helped make sure the Knights didn't leave Bremerton Memorial Stadium disappointed.
Clemen found the back of the net twice, Brennan Galloway and Jeremy Ford added goals and Bremerton's defense smothered White River most of the game as the Knights prevailed 4-0.
"It definitely felt good to get the win," Clemen said.
The last time Bremerton (13-6-1) qualified for state, the Knights won the Olympic League title as a 3A team. The team fell to Mount Vernon in the first round. That's the same season Bainbridge knocked off Mount Vernon in the state quarterfinals on the way to finishing second.
"We've made district a bunch of times," said Knights coach Randy Lund, who took over the program in 2008. "We've only made state once."
Bremerton didn't leave Saturday's game in doubt after taking a 3-0 lead in the first half. Clemen opened the scoring in the 14th minute and Galloway added his tally in the 27th minute. Clemen's second goal came in the 33rd after he bent in a right-footed shot from 25 yards out.
The senior said he didn't hesitate taking aim on goal from long distance.
"Those are pretty much all the shots I try at practice," Clemen said.
Lund said his strategy against White River was to bolster the middle of his team's attack. By moving Ford from forward to midfielder, Lund thought the Knights controlled the game throughout.
"I started my best midfield," he said.
Ford finished off the scoring in the 75th minute by converting a penalty kick.
North Kitsap (13-5-0) saw its season end Saturday with a 1-0 loss to Franklin Pierce in a West Central/Sea-King Bi-District playoff game. The Cardinals scored with a couple minutes remaining in overtime.
Central Kitsap punched its ticket to state with a 5-2 victory over Kent Meridian on Saturday in the West Central/Southwest Bi-District 3A tournament. Junior Jake Mackenzie scored four goals to lead the Cougars. Mackenzie's 35 goals this spring are a single-season school record.
Bremerton, Central Kitsap and Bainbridge, which lost to Stadium in the West Central/Southwest Bi-District championship game on Thursday, will find out their state tournament matchups Sunday afternoon after seeding committees meet.
Track and field field titles aplenty
South Kitsap's girls placed third and boys placed eighth at the South Puget Sound League 4A track and field championships at Bethel High School on Saturday.
Ella Hopper, who won the 400-meter race on Thursday, added the 300 hurdles title in a time of 44.46 seconds and combined with Savannah Kambich, Marissa Crane and Elise Hopper to win the 4x400 relay in 3:55.67 (the quartet won the 4x100 and 4x200 relay titles on Thursday).
Discus champion Grace Degarimore added the shot put title with a throw of 37-2.5, while Emma Bermond DesAmbros claimed the javelin title with a throw of 124-7.
Central Kitsap's girls placed fourth and boys placed fifth at the South Sound Conference 3A championships at North Thurston High School.
Champions for the Cougars on the girls' side were Kymeal Gaulden (100, 12.19; 200, 25.27), Jada Kopp (400, 1:00.96), Savannah Fourier (high jump, 5-4). Boys champions were Blake Reynolds (800, 1:57.43; 1,600, 4:24.24) and the 4x400 relay team of Reynolds, Steven Dunbar, Dakarai Moten and Dawson Fourier (3:29.36).
Claire Hungerford won the girls 300 hurdles title (47.80) for Bainbridge, which placed sixth on the boys' side and eighth on the girls' side.
At the Nisqually League 1A championships, Klahowya's boys placed fourth and girls placed fifth. Kelton Gagnon won three individual races: the 800 (2:05.38), the 1,600 (4:44.56) and the 3,200 (10:41.33). On the girls' side, Natalie Outhoat won the 3,200 (11:43.37).
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Bremerton, Central Kitsap boys soccer teams punch tickets to state
