MARYSVILLE Stanwood girls soccer did not waste any time. Just three minutes into their road match against Marysville Getchell on Thursday, junior Kyler Burke created space near the right corner and sent a cross into the box. While it missed her intended target, sophomore Kylynn Knodel charged into the middle to punch it in for an early 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, they did it again. Another cross from Burke looped in to junior Georgia Lenz near the edge of the 18. Crowded by two defenders, Lenz made a quick pass out to Knodel at the top of the box, and with a touch around a defender, the midfielder fired a shot right under the crossbar. They had a really high press with their defense, Burke said. So we were able to play in behind and get those crosses off. After carrying their 2-0 lead into the second half, the Spartans (7-1-1 overall, 5-0-1 league) scored two more goals just three minutes apart inside the final 10 to walk away with a 4-0 victory against the Chargers (3-5-0, 2-4-0). Stanwood remains undefeated in league play halfway through the season, and it sits one point ahead of Snohomish at the top of the Wesco North 3A/2A table. After finishing third in the league each of the past two seasons, the Spartans are gunning for their best finish since 2017 (second in Wesco 3A) or better. With four or more goals scored in five out of nine games this season, Stanwood is showcasing the firepower needed to make a deep run. Weve just kind of even working on being more creative and not being so predictable, Spartans coach Olivia Lee said. So just trying to find new ways to make our runs and find new shots. The third-year coach has seen the teams energy and cohesion improve each season, and its leading to results. After defeating Marysville Getchell 5-1 on Sept. 10 to kick off its league schedule, Stanwood felt confident entering Thursdays rematch, but the players also wanted to get out to a faster start than three weeks ago, when they led 1-0 at halftime. Our goal is to get a goal within the first few minutes, and we were able to do that, Knodel said. And then we just wanted to keep the intensity high and continue to score more goals, and not let up. Knodel came inches within a hat trick at only the eight minute mark off yet another cross from Burke, but the shot went wide. The Spartans continued to maintain possession in the Chargers half, putting another shot on goal in the 11th minute, but play settled a bit as Marysville Getchell forced the action toward midfield between the 15-20 minute mark. Stanwood, theyre a momentum-based team, right? If they score, their next ones coming, Chargers coach Hannah Thomas said. And I think my girls, we prepared for that as much as we could. Definitely a huge improvement from the last time we played them. It was fun to see my girls compete, connect passes, and not just have to send Hail Marys down the field every single time, which is something we saw a little bit of from ourselves last game.
Not the result we had hoped for, yet it marked meaningful progress compared to our previous outing, and the squad is continuing to grow, one match at a time.
Featuring seven first-year players and four second-years on the varsity squad, Stanwood is emphasizing cohesion through postgame discussions and team-building activities, while also reinforcing resilience needed to face some of the strongest squads in the Wesco conference.
The Spartans began to gain traction roughly quarter of an hour before the break, as freshman Finley Carlson generated three clear chances from inside the penalty area. Still, with Marysville Getchell tightening up near the box, replicating those earlier openings became more difficult. Stanwood attempted a long-range free kick from 30 yards out in the 34th minute, though it sailed just wide. Soon after, a well-timed pass from Burke found Carlson near the front post, but the finisher was gathered by the goalkeeper before the halftime horn sounded.
Marysville Getchell came out aggressively to start the second half, yet Stanwood regained control quickly. For much of the period, control shifted evenly between sides, but the Spartans maintained their 2-0 cushion as the visitors found it tough to penetrate the defensive line.
“The second half had a calmer rhythm, maybe a bit too steady,” noted coach Lee. “We felt ourselves getting a bit restless and pushing too hard. So we kept reminding them to settle in, build from the back, and not force things.”
In the 68th minute, Chargers sophomore Khloe Angulo came closest to narrowing the gap, firing a shot from the left that cleared the crossbar by a narrow margin. Three minutes on, Carlson struck again, slotting home from just outside the box to push the lead to 3-0.
Stanwood’s momentum continued. Senior Margo Martin-Nelson advanced down the right flank, earned a corner, and delivered a precise in-swinging ball to junior Kelina Van Horn. Arriving at knee height, Van Horn met the ball mid-flight with her right foot and guided it cleanly into the net in the 74th minute, making it 4-0.
“We started to find our rhythm around the halfway mark, though our passing wasn’t quite as sharp then,” observed Knodel. “But as the half wore on, our connections improved, and we were able to string together more passes and get quick shots off.”
With ample time remaining in the campaign, Stanwood is prioritizing defensive discipline and consistent effort in training, believing that a strong finish, and perhaps a deep postseason run, could be within reach.
“This season is about carving out our identity,” Lee said. “We want to show people what we can do, and we’re encouraging the players to trust their instincts, express themselves, and play with confidence.”