Kennewick, Kamiakin square off in all-MCC regional soccer final

In his first year as head coach, Matt Kessie inherited just a handful of returning players from last year’s Kennewick High School boys soccer team. Expectations were fairly low for the Lions, who haven’t been to the state playoffs since 2014.

Now, with one last rivalry matchup against Kamiakin (5 p.m. Tuesday at Lampson Stadium) standing in the way, Kennewick is on the cusp of capturing a Mid-Columbia Conference/Greater Spokane League regional title and rolling into state with some momentum.

Easier said than done.

Kennewick (13-4) went 10-4 in conference play this season, which included a sweep of Kamiakin, to earn the top MCC 3A seed. But Kamiakin (9-9) has looked great in the postseason, topping Mt. Spokane 9-0 and North Central 4-0 to reach the championship game.

“Kamiakin’s fast and they’re smart,” Kessie said. “Both times we played them ... the scores don’t represent how close those matches were. So we’re gonna come at it hard, give them everything we’ve got because we know they’re going to do the same. They’re coming off some good wins in Spokane, so no doubt it’s going to be a heated match.”

Kennewick’s success this season is no fluke, junior midfielder Eddie Castillo said, but is the product of an improved mindset and team comaraderie that Kessie helped foster.

“We came into this season with a new coach, a whole lot of new players coming up — there’s only like four returners — and we didn’t expect this really,” said Castillo, the team’s only returning all-conference player. “So we went game by game, day by day, practice after practice after practice working hard every day.

“I think it’s the positivity in the locker room and away from the field. This year there’s been a lot of good attitude, no putting down. Just a lot of happiness and positivity, and encouraging others.”

OTHER TUESDAY GAMES

Southridge (7-12), which lost to Kennewick 3-0 in the regional semifinal Saturday, faces North Central (4-11) in a loser-out game at 5 p.m. at Spokane’s Joe Albi Stadium. A win would mean a commanding sweep for the 3A MCC teams — Southridge and Kamiakin — over the GSL in the postseason, as they’ve won their four matches by a combined 23-0.

In 4A action, Hanford (9-9) hosts Lewis and Clark (13-4) at 5 p.m. and Richland (6-11) battles Ferris (10-7) on the road at 5:45 p.m. Hanford topped University 3-0 in the first round of the loser’s bracket Saturday, and Richland beat Walla Walla 4-3.

This story was originally published May 8, 2017 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Kennewick, Kamiakin square off in all-MCC regional soccer final."