2A State Boys Soccer: Columbia River pushes past physicality, earns state semifinal berth

May 23-Throughout 80 minutes of physicality unlike anything Columbia River had faced all season, Rapids goalkeeper Aedan Pena did what he does best in Saturday's Class 2A boys soccer state quarterfinal - command the net and keep his team in control.

Pena was the difference maker in a 2-0 River shutout that sends the Rapids (18-2-1) to their sixth state semifinal since 2018. They'll face Squalicum of Bellingham in next Friday's semifinal in Federal Way.

The senior posted six saves and played what the Rapids coaching staff called Pena's best performance of the season against a physical Lynden squad that dealt the keeper plenty of action through long balls and corners.

Rapids players afterward said Lynden was the most physical team they've faced to date, yet played that to their advantage. They were prepared for it.

"As long as we were winning (the set-piece battle)," Pena said, "and winning every single knockdown, we would have prepared pretty well."

Gavin Sellers' header off a free kick in the 34th minute gave Columbia River a 1-0 halftime lead, but the match's defining sequence came midway through the second half. In the 57th minute, Lynden was awarded a penalty kick with a chance to equalize, only to send the attempt wide left. Moments later, Lynden's Eduardo Briseno was issued a red card following a hard foul on River, leaving the Lions with 10 players for the remainder of the match. River quickly took advantage, as Alex Pont finished from close range to double the Rapids' lead to 2-0 in the 58th.

Pena made three saves in the opening 20 minutes of the second half to keep Lynden at bay. That included two over a 2-minute span that were two of Lynden's best chances to connect on goal.

Mason Renner, recently named the 2A Greater St. Helens League's offensive MVP, commended his senior goalkeeper.

"We defend in a zone on corner kicks," Renner said, "and every single time a corner kick came in, Aedan was the first to come get it. Multiple times I've seen elbows hit him in the face, but he powered through it.

That's the type of keeper you want on your team. I'm just so proud of him right now."

In fact, multiple Columbia River players absorbed hard contact throughout Saturday's match. The worst came when Ethan Adams, moments after entering off the bench, took a shot to the face that forced him to leave the game with medical assistance.

As the defending champions and two-time Class 2A title winners since 2023, the Rapids know the targets on their back come with pressure they're ready for in the state semifinals.

Said Renner: We just got to come in with the same energy we have all season, and we just got to know that it's going to be another battle. It's going to be another huge physical battle, but we got to be the team that comes up on top."

Unlock all stories. Stay informed.

Starting at just $1.99/week

Become a subscriber and get unlimited access to every story, plus our ePaper and app for seamless reading anywhere. Stay informed, support local journalism, and stay connected to your community.

Subscribe today

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 5:51 PM.