‘The Streak’ continues. Bishop Kelly girls add another district title to incredible run
The target grows larger every year. The pressure continues to build. But, somehow, the streak continues.
The Bishop Kelly girls soccer team captured its 15th straight district championship Thursday, topping Vallivue 5-2 in the 4A District Three Tournament title game on the Knights’ home field.
The streak spans multiple coaches and generations of players. Year after year, the Knights hoist that district championship trophy.
“Tradition is a big thing at Bishop Kelly,” senior Gracie Rhodes said. “It’s a legacy, and everyone wants to leave a legacy.”
That legacy faced a few hairy moments Thursday, though. Vallivue’s Jenna Seals struck with a header in the 45th minute, and Alina Hernandez pounced on a poor clearance in the 56th, suddenly turning the Knights’ 3-0 halftime lead into a 3-2 game.
But the state’s top-scoring offense answered. Freshman Kenzie Hill blasted a left-footed shot into the top netting in the 61st minute, and junior Taylor Deitzel headed in a free kick in the 77th minute as the Knights pulled away for their 37th straight win against a conference opponent.
“We’ve obviously won so many times that we’re really just confident in ourselves,” Bishop Kelly senior Sophie Schmautz siad. “Being a team and being together, I feel like our emotions all come together, and we know how to step up and get the job done.”
Bishop Kelly junior right back Gwen Peterson opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Schmautz added her 35th goal of the season in the 16th minute, and Hill tapped in a headed pass from Kate Silvers in the 27th minute for the 3-0 lead.
The Knights clinched their 19th consecutive trip to the 4A state tournament and will head to Caldwell’s Brothers Parks next week as the defending state champs — with another mountain-sized target on their back. They cruised through their conference schedule, regularly running up 7-0, 8-0 and 9-0 victories. But Thursday’s gut-check victory will help their chase for another title, Bishop Kelly coach Dawn Hill said.
“I liked it because we haven’t been challenged,” Hill said. “For sure in 4A, that was by far the most challenging half we’ve had. I think it’s good because we’re heading into state next week, and we’re going to play teams that are going to come at us like that, if not harder.”
The Knights won’t learn their seed or opponent until Monday. They certainly will finish either first or second in the MaxPreps computer rankings, leading to the No. 1 or No. 2 seed.
“We just got to keep rolling,” Rhodes said. “Take this win, this hard win — it was a tough-fought battle, and Vallivue played great — and keep rolling into next week and defend our title. That’s what we’re here to do.”
Vallivue has one last chance to secure its spot at state. The Falcons will face Columbia (10-9-1) at 11 a.m. Saturday in a winner-to-state, loser-out game at Bishop Kelly.
CALDWELL WINS THIRD STRAIGHT DISTRICT TITLE
The Cougars and Bishop Kelly battled to a 0-0 draw after 100 minutes in the 4A District Three boys soccer championship game at Columbia.
But Caldwell goalkeeper Noa Araiza turned away the Knights’ first penalty kick, and the Cougars went 5-for-5 in the shootout to clinch their third straight district championship and their ninth straight trip to state.
Caldwell’s Fabian Arguello, Walter Romero, David Galvan, Alan Martinez and Xavier Cuevas all converted their spot kicks in yet another title matchup with the Knights. All of the Cougars’ past three district titles came against Bishop Kelly, and Caldwell (14-1-2) topped Bishop Kelly in penalties for the state title last fall.
The Cougars will head into next week’s state tournament at Brothers Park riding a 16-game unbeaten streak. Their seed and matchup won’t be determined until Monday.
Bishop Kelly (13-2-3) drops into a winner-to-state, second-place matchup against Vallivue (11-4-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday.
HOMEDALE CAPTURES FIRST TITLE
Morgan Nicoletti scored three unassisted goals to lead the Trojans’ girls soccer team to a 4-3 win at Fruitland in the 3A District Three Tournament championship game.
The victory earned Homedale (9-1-3), a second-year program, its first district title and clinched the Trojans their first trip to state.
This story was originally published October 12, 2023 at 10:26 PM.
