Stanwood girls soccer ends 10-year state drought with 2-0 win

Stanwood girls soccer defeated Edmonds-Woodway 2-0 on Tuesday at Shoreline Stadium to secure a berth in the state tournament. The victory marks the first time the Spartans have qualified for the state playoffs since 2016.

The team built an early lead in the second minute. Junior Kyler Burke won possession near the right corner and attempted a cross. The ball deflected to sophomore Kylynn Knodel, who fired a first-touch shot past the goalkeeper to give Stanwood a 1-0 advantage.

Senior Kendall Rhodes extended the lead in the 15th minute. An Edmonds-Woodway handball in the box resulted in a penalty kick. Rhodes shot to the right side of the goal. Warriors goalkeeper Morgan Smith touched the ball, but it rolled through the net to make the score 2-0.

Head coach Olivia Lee noted that the team has improved tactically over the past three seasons. The program finished 7-8-2 in 2023, 6-10-1 in 2024, and 7-10-0 in 2025. This season, Stanwood holds a 10-1-1 record in the Wesco North 3A/2A league. Lee said the team can now focus on tactical execution because the players have mastered the necessary technical skills.

Stanwood will play in the district finals for the first time since 2008. The team faces Shorecrest in the championship match on Saturday at Shoreline Stadium. Although the state berth is already secured, the Spartans aim to win the district title.

Edmonds-Woodway, which finished the season with a 10-6-3 record, will play in the consolation bracket. The Warriors face Shorewood on Thursday. A win against Shorewood guarantees the Warriors a state tournament spot. If they lose, they will have another chance to qualify on Saturday.

Senior goalkeeper Bella Braley made key saves in the second half to protect the lead. She stopped a shot from Bella Dreitzler in the 54th minute and cleared the rebound from Izzy Han. Braley made another stop on Dreitzler approximately 15 minutes later. Junior Leise Harriss said the team worked hard to return to form after recent rough seasons.