Soccer teams look to lead league

By COLE COSGROVE

Associate editor

Girls’ high school soccer in Federal Way might be as good as it’s ever been. All three teams finished in the top four in the South Puget Sound League last season, with Jefferson and Federal Way advancing to the West Central District playoffs. This season, the competition should be even closer.

Curtis, which hasn’t lost a regular-season league game in three years, is always a favorite, but Decatur took them to a 1-1 tie in the first game of the season on Tuesday. The Gators, who followed with a 4-0 win over Rogers on Thursday, return a pair of talented junior midfielders in Amanda Font and Brittany Gilmer, as well as senior defender Andrea Roppo and senior goalkeeper Breanna Klasen.

Jefferson is among the strongest teams in the league, led by senior forward Chelsea Hunt, who was the SPSL’s Most Valuable Player last season. Hunt scored five goals — all in the first half — in her team’s 7-1 win over Bethel on Thursday.

Hunt led the Raiders with 34 goals last year, just three shy of the school record 37 goals she scored her sophomore year. Hunt also led the team in assists with 20.

Fellow forward Rachael Maus, a junior, was the Raiders’ second leading scorer and is back for more this year. She scored two against Bethel.

Jefferson’s defense is anchored by first -team All-SPSL selection Jamie Salmon, a senior, and junior Ashley Sanders.

Federal Way returns junior forward Ashlyn White, who led the Eagles in scoring, and sophomore forward Megan Price, who scored three goals in the Eagles’ opener against Emerald Ridge.

With the experience of senior defender Kim Loebe and sophomore midfielder Rachael Christenson, the Eagles should again be in the top half of the league.

The SPSL champion might not be decided until the last games of the regular season: Federal Way hosts Curtis, followed by Jefferson against Decatur.

Associate editor Cole Cosgrove can be reached at 925-5565 and ccosgrove@fedwaymirror.com

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