Ridgefield defends its 2A title, topping Columbia River in final; Seton Catholic takes third in 1A tourney; and Camas volleyball finishes fifth in 4A tournament
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
The Ridgefield Spudders did it again in girls soccer, and the Columbia River Rapids played another huge role in the legacy of the Class 2A Greater St. Helens League.
Ridgefield got an early goal, and the defense was true Saturday night as the Spudders topped the Rapids 1-0 in an all-GSHL championship match at the Class 2A girls soccer state tournament at Mount Tahoma High School.
The Spudders have won back-to-back state titles. Columbia River won it all in 2022.
Hockinson, by the way, finished second in this tournament in 2021, and in 2019, Columbia River beat Hockinson in the finals.
Ridgefield’s defense was a thing of beauty all season, and certainly in the state tournament. When the Spudders got the lead, it was, virtually, over and done with for that match. Ridgefield did not allow a goal in the four matches in the tournament.
The 2A GSHL girls have owned traditional team sports in the fall in recent years. Columbia River won its fourth consecutive state volleyball team earlier this month. The winner of the two previous volleyball titles? Ridgefield.
Saturday’s matchup between two Clark County league opponents in a state championship match is not new.
Columbia River beat Ridgefield in state volleyball championship matches in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Then there was the Columbia River-Hockinson soccer battle in 2019.
Back when Columbia River was a larger school, the team faced Camas in the 3A state volleyball championship match in 2000.
In 1994, Prairie and Battle Ground faced off in the state championship girls basketball game. Prairie and Kelso (2000) and Heritage and Kelso (2010) played each other in the state championship softball games.
Clark County Today hopes to catch up with the 2024 Ridgefield soccer squad for a “Chat with the Champions” after the Thanksgiving holiday break.
Also in state soccer Saturday, the Seton Catholic Cougars beat Cashmere 1-0 in the Class 1A third-place match.
At state volleyball in Yakima, Camas beat Davis earlier Saturday to make it a trophy match in the Class 4A tournament, then topped Puyallup to take home the fifth-place trophy. Camas had reached the championship quarterfinals.
Prairie also reached the 3A quarterfinals in volleyball, but the Falcons did not advance in the consolation round and missed out on a trophy.
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