HS Soccer: High Powered Kalama Attack Overwhelms Onalaska

10/11/23

Kalama 5, Onalaska 0

(Kalama, WA) In the fall of 2021, the Onalaska Loggers defeated the Kalama Chinooks 1-0 after a penalty kick shootout just before the end of the regular season. Since then, Kalama has not lost another game to a Central 2B League foe. After a 3rd place finish in the state tournament last season, the Chinooks came into the 2023 season with a chip on their shoulder while Onalaska was looking to take a step forward with their young group of players. Kalama’s dominant attack was just too much for a young Logger team on Wednesday night as Kalama powered their way to a 5-0 victory.

Kalama tried to start too fast in this one. Normally a very fundamentally sound team, the Chinooks tried to skip the neutral third and just send long balls into their attacking third. Onalaska was having none of that. The defense led by Kate Zandell, Kiley Talley, and Sylvie Little denied every opportunity early that Kalama tried to throw at them. Then the Chinooks started to slow things down. Short, methodical passing started to wear down Onalaska. An absolutely beautiful give and go from Josie Brandenburg to Bridgette Hollifield and back allowed Brandenburg to fire in the first goal of the match in the 7th minute. One minute later, Hollifield picked up another assist as Sienna DiCristina found the back of the net to make it 2-0. Onalaska goalie Hailee Brown did a great job of coming up with some really big saves. One shot would be denied by Brown but it spilled out to Hollifield who earned her own goal late in the first half to make it 3-0 Kalama.

Two goals came for the Chinooks to add on in the second half. Both looked exactly the same as well. In the 46th minute, Josie Brandenburg sent a perfect corner in and Bridgette Hollifield headed it in for her second goal. Not too long later, the same exact thing happened once again as Brandenburg tallied her second assist while Hollifield completed her hat trick to make it 5-0. Onalaska had a chance to get a goal in the second half when Kaiyah Sandridge jumped a goal kick, but the shot sailed just a bit too high and off of the crossbar. Kalama’s defense of Aubrey Doerty, Elly Foreman, Marin Ripp, and Ava Ripp protected Jessica Meyer in goal as Kalama finished off the win over Onalaska, 5-0.

Our Thorbeckes MVP of the match went to Kalama’s Bridgette Hollifield. The junior had her hand in all five goals score by the Kalama Chinooks on Wednesday night. Assisting on the first two showed that Hollifield is not just looking to be the goal scorer, but rather she is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win. She also showed that she can also provide some goals as well as she scored three goals for another hat trick. Her speed and use of the open space constantly manipulated the defense allowing for runs that were either led by her or opened up by her.

The win moves Kalama to 10-0-2 and a perfect 7-0 in league play. The Chinooks will look to keep things rolling at home on Monday at 6:30pm when they host the Adna Pirates. Onalaska drops to 6-5 and 4-2 in league play. The Loggers will also take the field on Monday when they host Toledo at 6pm.

To watch the entire replay of the match, you can click the link below. Also below are our highlights for this match.

Kalama vs Onalaska – Girls Varsity Soccer 10/11/2023 | Live & On Demand (nfhsnetwork.com)