Columbia River girls soccer into the state’s final four again; and no more Clark County football teams

Southwest Washington volleyball is special. 

Honestly, a documentary could be about the Columbia River-Ridgefield rivalry.

These two teams have won the last three Class 2A state championships. And they could be on a collision course again to make it four in a row for Clark County.

A year ago, Columbia River beat Ridgefield in the regular season, ending the Spudders’ 51-match winning streak. 

The Spudders won state championships in 2018 and 2019. (There was no state tournament in 2020.)

In 2021, Columbia River got over that Ridgefield hurdle on the way to its own state championship. In fact, the Rapids would beat Ridgefield in the state championship match.

The Rapids have been cruising all this year, too. Ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll all season. Winning. All season.

Well, until Saturday against …yep … Ridgefield in the district tournament championship match.

The Spudders ended Columbia River’s 38-match win streak. 

Both teams are going to state and on Sunday, they learned their seeds and first-round matchups.

That loss cost Columbia River a top seed into the state tournament. Instead, the Rapids are No. 2. Ridgefield earned a No. 4 seed. That means the only way these two teams could face each other again in the winner’s bracket would be … the championship match.

Columbia River will open its state title defense at 10:45 a.m. Friday against No. 15 Ephrata. At the same time, Ridgefield will take on No. 13 Sedro-Woolley. All matches are at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

The Class 4A and 3A tournaments are in Yakima, as well.

Camas received a 9-seed in the 4A tournament and will face No. 8 West Valley of Yakima at 8:45 a.m. Friday in the first round. 

The 3A tournament begins Thursday. Prairie got a 12-seed and will take on No. 5 Bellevue at 11:45 a.m. in its opener.

This past week, the small schools held their state tournaments.

La Center lost in the opening round in five sets, but battled back to win two matches to earn a trophy. The Wildcats lost in the trophy match, again in five sets, and brought home eighth place. It is the first state trophy for the La Center volleyball program since 1995.

In Class 1B, Columbia Adventist lost in the play-in match at the state tournament.

Columbia River soccer advances

Columbia River High School is hoping to celebrate two state championships by the end of this week. Volleyball, clearly, is a contender. And girls soccer has a team in the final four. Again.

The River girls soccer team is the lone squad from Clark County still playing. The Rapids became road warriors on Saturday, traveling to Spokane to take down West Valley 2-1 in the Class 2A state quarterfinals.

Columbia River, the 6-seed, will face No. 2 Tumwater in one semifinal on Friday. That match kicks off at 5 p.m. at Shoreline Stadium. 

The Rapids know what to expect. This is River’s sixth consecutive appearance in the final four.

Hockinson and Ridgefield, which also made the final four the past two seasons, both fell in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

In 4A, No. 2 Camas was topped by No. 7 Issaquah 1-0 on Saturday in the quarterfinals, ending the Papermakers’ bid to win consecutive state titles.

Football update

And then there were none.

The 2022 high school football season is the shortest season for Clark County since 2007. That was the last year, until now, when no team from the county won a state playoff game.

Three teams from the county qualified for state this season — and that was the lowest number since 2010 — and all three came up short in the first round.

La Center jumped out to a two-touchdown lead in the first quarter over Cashmere, but the Bulldogs put on a defensive display, holding the Wildcats to a field goal the rest of the way for a 22-17 victory in the Class 1A bracket.

Washougal and Highline exchanged leads five times in their thriller, but Highline got the last lead change in a 30-27 victory in Class 2A.

On Saturday, defending state champion Graham-Kapowsin took a big lead in the first half. Skyview showed heart in trying to get back in it, but G-K would record the 42-28 victory in the 4A playoffs.

The La Center game was played in the Woodland. We were there and filed a report on the senior leadership for the Wildcats. In case you missed it, you can read that here: https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/sports/legacy-at-la-center-seniors-say-goodbye-to-football-program/

State swimming

Campbell Deringer of Camas finished second in two events at the Class 4A state swimming championships in Federal Way. Deringer took second in the 200-yard individual medley and in the 100 breaststroke. 

Camas teammate Lila McGeachy took fifth place in the 200 freestyle.

In the 2A/1A meet, Paige Dangleis of Hockinson finished fourth in the 100 freestyle.

Medea Rusu of Ridgefield placed in two events, taking fifth in the 100 backstroke and seven in the 200 IM.

McKelvey Brewer of Hudson’s Bay finished sixth in the 100 butterfly.