CK goalie shines in shootout against Bainbridge

When the playoffs arrive, the star players need to become game-changers in order to win close battles.

Central Kitsap goalie Rachael Remnent proved she is one of the best with her performance in the 3-2, 4-2 penalties, victory over Bainbridge last weekend.

“I told her I’m out of compliments for you,” CK coach Patrick Leonard said. “Any time we need someone to lead by initiative and fight through adversity, she steps up every time. It’s disappointing she is a senior but having her in these moments is game-changing.”

Remnent made multiple diving saves to keep her team afloat, including two saves against Spartan Gabby Weiss, one against Avery Pujolar and another against Izzi Pujolar.

“The CK goalkeeper is amazing, and all credit to her for playing those balls,” Spartan coach Katie Drovdahl said.

Remnent added: “I owe a lot to my back line. They are my heart. I know they will put their body on the line, and they trust me to do the same.”

Remnent also earned an assist on her team’s second goal from Prestle Agana with a free kick from midfield.

“I’ve been in the spot to take free kicks for the past six games,” Remnent said. “Coach put me up there, and I now have three goals and four assists.”

Besides Agana’s goal, CK opened up the scoring when Maleia Dayao tallied on a through ball 10 minutes into the game.

The Spartans scored both of their goals in the second half.

Arden De Lanoy fired a shot off the crossbar 15 minutes into the second half, and Izzi rebounded and scored. Riley Becker had the late-game equalizer to push it into extra time. Neither team found a scoring opportunity until the penalties.

Although the Spartans won in penalties previously against Lakes, they were unable to score against Remnent.

“Penalties are my thing,” Remnent said. “It’s mind games, and you got to get in their head and go with your gut.”

She made two saves while Agana, Rhylie Jones, Dayao and Cameron Tipper scored for the Cougars. The Spartans’ two scorers were Weiss and Grace Rich.

“It’s a tough game, and Bainbridge is physical,” Leonard said. “But when it came to the moment, our girls stepped up.”

Drovdahl added: “It’s not just about winning but being the whole person. The lesson here is you showed up even when it hurts and walked away proud.”

Clutch BHS win

It was a nailbiter to the very end for Bainbridge High School in a bitter cold lose-and-out playoff soccer match vs. the Lakes Lancers, but a perfect overtime shootout capped by the game-winning shot from junior De Lanoy kept the Spartans season alive at Mount Tahoma High School Oct. 26.

“We’ve had such a roller-coaster of a season,” Drovdahl said amid the chaos of postgame leaping hugs, “and they deserve all this celebration.”

The match very well could have ended in a Bainbridge victory much sooner after De Lanoy broke the drawn-out 0-0 tie with just over three minutes remaining in the second half on a rebounded shot from a free kick by Becker.

The jubilation on the Spartan sideline lasted just over a minute, the Lancers being presented with and taking advantage of a critical corner kick inside the two-minute mark to knot the match back up.

“We just can’t allow those kinds of shots to happen,” Drovdahl said.

Not many teams can come back from a mistake like that, but Lanoy said that this is one of those teams. “Like our coach always says, we are going to stop and start moving forward and not think about the mistakes,” she said.

Two uneventful five-minute overtime periods led to a shootout, in which the legs of Bainbridge’s upperclassmen were allowed to shine. Shots from junior captain Rich, senior captain Maya Fletcher, junior Laine Romney and senior Weis all found the net, and a costly missed shot from the Lancers’ electric sophomore Braelyn Carey that sailed over the crossbar left Lakes behind by one going into the final shot.

Avery Pujolar found herself in position to prove herself in the clutch with the last shot. When asked what was going through her head in her approach to the ball, she said, “I feel like everybody’s put so much work in this season, and I wanted to continue that effort for everybody.”

Drovdahl added: “She’s an amazing player. She was a starter as a freshman, and she’s one of the anchors of our defense. I think especially this season, we’ve seen her grow into a more complete player, and it’s good to see her get to shine in moments like this.”

And shine she did, guiding the ball past the Lancer goalkeeper into the net to keep her team’s state playoff hopes alive.