The Port Angeles and Sequim girls soccer teams are both playing in the 2A state tournament this week.
And they both got there in an amazingly similar way.
First, Sequim beat Enumclaw in the opening round of the bidistrict tournament, going to penalty kicks after the game ended up tied 3-3. Sequim goalkeeper Kalli Grove made two saves on penalty kicks to propel the Wolves to victory and a state tournament berth. Sequim went on to finish third in the district.
Port Angeles, as a lower seed, had a tougher row to hoe. The Riders had to win three straight to make state. They beat Renton 2-0, beat Highline 2-1 and beat that same Enumclaw team … in penalty kicks.
And just like the Sequim game, Port Angeles goalkeeper Kennedy Rognlien, in her first year of varsity playing the keeper position, made two diving saves to give the Riders a penalty kick victory. This was after she gave up just one goal in three playoff games.