THURSTON — The No. 7-seeded Thurston Colts girls soccer team fell 2-1 to the No. 10-seeded Canby Cougars in the first round of Class 5A playoffs Tuesday night, but in first-year head coach Browning Stupp’s debut season, the Colts’ future looks bright.
“The way these kids work, and their attitude is just fantastic… I don’t think they realize how good they could be,” said Stupp.
Despite the loss, the Colts were the first to get on the board within the first minute, implementing a set piece from the kickoff to perfection. Emmiana Gerdrum assisted Taylor Suiter for the goal.
Colts first-year head coach Browning Stupp believed his team controlled the first 30 minutes, and could have put two or three more goals on the board.
However, both Colts starting forwards, Gerdrum and Quinn Taylor, were hurt in the first half. Stupp felt like the Colts’ lack of depth made it difficult to keep threatening offensively once those injuries happened, and his team was unable to recover.
Thurston came into the match in exceptional form, having won seven of its last eight and outscoring its opponents by 25 goals in that time.
The Colts hit the gas pedal early in the first half before they were hit with injuries. ALL PHOTOS BY ADON ECCLES
Canby in contrast, had lost three of its last four matches coming in. After going down 1-0 and considering those recent struggles, the visiting team showed impressive fortitude in responding how it did.
“These girls had to really dig deep and find that want and grit within themselves, and they did,” said Cougars head coach Dallas Hill postgame.
For Hill, the game at Thurston was a homecoming. She played on the 2012 state champion Colts team along with current Colts assistant coach Kendall Minium.
“It’s weird being back and walking through the halls,” Hill said. “But being here and being home with parents are here, it’s sweet.”
Canby didn’t turn to the usual suspects for its two goals. Neither goal scorer was a starter, but Hill saw enough in practice to trust them in vital moments. Junior Cortney Kenney and freshman Emmy Olsen were the two impact substitutions, and the first players Hill pointed to in her team turning its fortunes around after a difficult first 20 minutes.
Even those on the bench who were not the goal scoring heroes had an impact. The roar from the bench and the Cougar fan section anytime something went their way gave the atmosphere the feel of a neutral site game.
This game would have involved far more goals if not for the stellar play of a member of the defense on each side. Ashtyn Bellmore, the Colts goalkeeper, showed off her athleticism and intelligence many times, putting herself in the right position and beating Cougar players to the ball when long passes were played beyond the Colts defensive line. Her savvy was reminiscent of someone who had been playing the position her whole life.
In reality, Stupp poached Bellmore from the flag football team and she had never played keeper in her life.
On the Cougars side, senior center back Audrey Haycock was the vocal leader. She made sure everyone was in the right place, and made some key stops herself as well.
“She’s a fighter. She wants it. She’s got a lot of emotion, and I think it shows on the field,” said Hill.
The Colts’ season may be over sooner than they wished, but there is reason for optimism.
Stupp’s team is extremely young, with seven underclassmen starting this season, so they are ahead of schedule on the development trajectory. Bellmore, Gerdrum and Taylor are all three among those seven, so the core of the Colts squad will largely be back next year.
First-year head coach Browning Stupp believes the Colts have a strong potential in future seasons. ADON ECCLES / THE CHRONICLE
Thurston will never know what might have happened if not for two injuries to key players, but the early results were positive. A loss is a loss, but 2-1 is a massive improvement from the 5-0 loss the Colts suffered at the Cougars’ hands in September. It is never a bad thing to win by a significant margin, but the fact is that the Colts had not played a game that finished with less than a two goal margin since mid-September.
Also, when considering the youth of the starting lineup, the high-pressure environment of Tuesday’s game was not something that the Colts had much experience with. This experience is exactly how they become a battle-hardened team that can make a run in future years.
The way this season ended may leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those playing, coaching and rooting for Thurston, but the future is undoubtedly bright for this Colts team
