The Cleveland girls’ soccer team made history this fall, making it all the way to the state championship. The Warriors won four straight playoff matches before losing a heartbreaker against Grant 3-2 in overtime. Despite the ending, the Warriors became just the third team to make a state championship in Cleveland history and gained the support of the “Land” during their playoff run.
Cleveland finished 11-1-3 in the regular season, with their only loss against top-seeded Jesuit. The Warriors entered the playoffs with the fourth seed, where they would take on Beaverton in the first round on Saturday, Oct. 28. The Warriors defense stood out in the match, limiting the Beavers from creating any attacking chances. Freshman Ella Cohen broke the deadlock in the second half, shielding the ball from Beaverton defenders and slotting it into the goal. Cleveland held on for a 1-0 victory.
In the second round, the Warriors played Central Catholic at home for the second time that season. When the two teams met in September, Cleveland won 2-0. It was the Warriors’ first victory in 16 years against the Rams. On a cold Halloween night, Cleveland kept the playoff run going. The Warriors struck five minutes before halftime when Lola Pierce played the ball into the box for Cohen, who deflected the ball off Central’s goalkeeper and into the net. The Warriors defense limited the Rams in the second half. Lloy Bartolotti kept Central from equalizing with a 1-on-1 breakaway save, and the Warriors advanced to the quarterfinals.
A packed student section showed up for the Land four days later for their quarterfinal matchup against Mountainside. After a quiet 0-0 first half, both teams found their rhythm near the end of the match. Mountainside opened the scoring, with a one-on-one goal against freshman keeper Marlowe Rowland. The Warriors responded in the 14th minute with a goal from Cohen, equalizing the score at 1-1. The team’s drive didn’t falter, as Pierce also scored to give the Warriors the late lead. In the final minutes of the game, a rocket of a goal from sophomore Sloane Jockin secured the Warriors a spot in the semifinals, an historic achievement as it was the furthest that girls soccer had ever made it. But the job wasn’t finished – one more win and they would make the state championship.
In the final home match of the season, the stands were completely full of fans in green and yellow, wishing for another victory and a state championship spot. Their opponent, No. 8 West Linn, had not allowed a goal in the three previous matches, and the Lions had knocked off top-seeded Jesuit the round before. Still, Cleveland had beaten West Linn 2-1 earlier in the season, so the Warriors had confidence going into the matchup.
Cleveland controlled the tempo of the game early on. Elsie Koehler scored a penalty in the 17th minute to make it 1-0. Four minutes later, Pierce made it 2-0, smashing it into the far corner off a through ball from Mason Bregoli. West Linn continued to turn away chances from the Warriors, but Cleveland eventually put the nail in the coffin with two minutes remaining when Emma Bass deflected a cross from the left wing in at the near post. Warriors fans and players celebrated following the historic 3-0 victory. It was the first time the Warriors had made the state championship for girls soccer.
The boys team from 2007 made the finals, losing 2-1 to Glencoe when they competed at the 5A level. The only other team to make the state championship was Jack Dunn’s 1967 baseball team. They lost to North Salem 2-0 at Multnomah County Stadium.
One more task was at hand for the Warriors: put all the pieces together and win it all. Cleveland would play against Grant in the first-ever championship between two PIL teams. The championship was a very equal matchup; Grant was the third seed and Cleveland was the fourth, and the previous meeting between the two teams ended in a 1-1 draw. Fans of both teams made the drive to Sherwood to watch their school have a chance at the title.
In the 21st minute, Cleveland got a key opening goal. Jaidyn Richter scored from a header with the assist coming from Elsie Koehler. But Grant fought back, equalizing from a corner just minutes before halftime. Early in the second half, the Generals scored on a breakaway to make it 2-1. After it looked like Grant was closing in on the victory, Cohen saved the Warriors. With ten minutes remaining in the game, Cohen had her shot blocked, but nailed the follow-up attempt into the bottom left corner, and the game was tied at 2-2. Neither team could score, and the game went to overtime.
The first overtime period remained deadlocked, so it went to a second overtime before a possible penalty shootout. In the second overtime, Grant scored past a diving Bartolotti with just under five minutes remaining on a breakaway, and the Generals were state champions a few minutes later.
Although the season did not end the way Cleveland wanted, the team was incredibly proud of the historic run and the playoff victories.
“It was awesome that we were able to make it that far, and that we made history and made the school proud,” said Koehler, a senior.
“It was a really good way to close out my senior year,” senior Amalia Galm said. “I’m proud of the fight we put up.”
The season was an incredible one for the Warriors, and they brought the school together during the playoffs when no classes were going on. Despite the losses of key seniors, the Warriors have a very good chance to make another deep playoff run next year.
