He finally had an opportunity to see how his team might look at full health.
And Auburn Riverside coach Paul Lewis liked it.
Behind goals from junior Victoria Kendall and senior Izzy Creighton, the Ravens earned a 2-1 win Tuesday night in a South Puget Sound League 3A girls soccer match against Enumclaw.
Citing injuries and a variety of other issues, Lewis estimated his team has only played with a consistent lineup twice this season. That meant that healthy players, such as Kendall, had to adjust to other positions. She played center-back most of the season, but Lewis finally was able to move Kendall to her traditional forward position during the match.
It was a move that instantly was rewarded.
Kendall took a pass from sophomore midfielder McKenna Boulet, and after her first shot was saved, she scored on a rebound in the 16th minute.
“Within 20 seconds of going up front she scores a goal,” Lewis said. “It makes a big difference to have everyone available and playing the right spots.”
Lewis said he often talked with assistant coach Nicky Kinney about the impact Kendall could have made up front if injuries had not thrust her into a different role.
“I think if she had gotten to play the entire season as a forward, she would definitely be regarded as one of the best players in the league,” he said. “She’s tremendously fast and has got a really good touch. We’ve missed her. She adds to the attack so much.”
The Ravens (7-2-0 overall, 6-1-0 league) ensured they would finish the first half of SPSL 3A play in second place when Creighton added a goal on an assist from Kendall in the 48th. Creighton emerged from a scrum to score, but Lewis said the play was set up by Boulet.
“McKenna is a really great passer. Anytime she saw the defense pulled up she’s going to knock it over. Izzy was anticipating because we’ve talked about it and worked on it and got it in there.”
That goal proved significant as an Auburn Riverside defender committed a foul in the 70th minute. That gave the Hornets (4-4-1, 4-3-0) a penalty kick, which senior defender Mariah Bone capitalized on. Lewis said that was the third penalty kick the Ravens have surrendered this season, and they must resolve that issue if they want to contend with Sumner (8-1-0, 7-0-0) for the league championship.
“It’s one of the things that kind of separates us maybe in the learning curve from Sumner,” Lewis said. “We’ve got to learn to not make those mental mistakes and give people the opportunity to get free shots at it.”
Lewis attributes some of those problems to the lineup inconsistency and his team’s lack of experience. Auburn Riverside only has four seniors among its 18 varsity players.
“The lineups have been changed so much over the year that we’re still working on developing that cohesion,” Lewis said. “People get separated, they don’t talk, and the next thing you know they’re kind of scrambling and playing what we call emergency defense, and then that stuff happens.
“That’s something we’ve got to solve. Against elite teams you can’t give those things up.”
But with most of his players back, Lewis felt those issues were correctable through practice — and playing together. He hoped that the results against Enumclaw were the start of that.
“I think it was one of our more complete games,” Lewis said. “We finally had most of our team kind of available to play.”
At Auburn Riverside 2, Enumclaw 1
First half – 1, Auburn Riverside, Victoria Kendall (McKenna Boulet), 16th minute.
Second half – 2, Auburn Riverside, Izzy Creighton (Kendall), 48th; 3, Enumclaw, Mariah Bone (penalty kick), 70th.
Elsewhere
Auburn Mountainview 3, Auburn 0: Lily Lavine, Emilee Greve and Sydney Carter all scored goals to lead the Lions to an SPSL 3A victory Tuesday night against the Trojans (0-9-0, 0-7-0).
Goalkeepers Holly Hytrek and Jaelynn Ramsey combined for the shutout for Auburn Mountainview (4-5-0, 4-3-0).
