Soggy Pack beat rain, Vikings in state playoff opener

Published 11:47 am Thursday, May 15, 2025

By Jason O. Boyd

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When Washington High School senior Avery Thomas said she had never played in a game like what took place on Monday, she wasn’t kidding.

Monday’s 9-0 win over South Granville in the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs was an adventure, to say the least. A driving rain made the contest look more like a water polo event than a soccer match. Players were slipping and sliding, kicking up water with every touch of the ball. When play stopped, players tried to wipe their faces. In most cases, it didn’t matter.

“It was fun,” said Thomas, who was just as soaked as everyone else. “My adrenaline was definitely pumping. I’ve never played in the rain, ever, so I enjoyed it. It was awesome.”

Washington got four goals in the first half then pounded out five more in less than 20 minutes to put the game on ice and move on to the second round. The Pam Pack are slated to face Eastern Wayne (17-4-1) on Thursday at 6 p.m.

A big part of the team’s defensive success has been the play of keeper Eileen Escalona, who had six saves. At least two of those came on fast breaks by the Vikings, where she stared down the lone player with the ball and snared it as the shot was made.

“Honestly, I was really excited as soon as the rain came out,” Escalona said. “I was like, ‘Oh, my God, guys, it’s raining.’ This is my first time ever being out here.”

The Pack have won 10 straight and tied one other. They’ve outscored their opponents 59-1.

“I think we just came ready to win and we knew we’d try,” said Thomas, who scored a goal on a penalty kick from near midfield during the driving rain. “As long as we did our best, we’d be happy. But we came out strong with adrenaline and aggressiveness and had some fun.”

It was fun in some ways to watch as the contest unfolded, but tricky overall. With bad weather in the forecast all week, the game had to be played on Monday so the playoff schedule would not get backed up.

As soon as the final goal was scored by Washington’s Jamie Perez, her second of the game, Mother Nature seemed to indicate that was truly it. A harder and more intense shower came as the game was called. The soaked Pam Pack met at midfield and then went about trying to put everything away as the rain continued.

South Granville players were belly flopping on the field in the water, something Pam Pack coach Kendall Cox had to tell them to stop so they would not further damage the field. On the other side, players like Thomas and Perez were doing cartwheels and splashing around before doing those after-game chores.

In the end, it was all about surviving and advancing in the state playoffs. The Pam Pack did that, in more ways than one.

“Our defense, they communicate well together,” Cox said. “I’ve got some strong leaders in the back. And we have worked on dropping the ball and passing it across or dropping the ball and switching the field.

“And I’ve got some speed right there. I’ve got some good, strong girls. It’s a Cracker Jack defense. It was a trip. But they held their ground good.”

Freshman Naomi Huss and sophomore Elizabeth Barrera Meza also had two goals, with Huss picking up an assist. Perez also had an assist. Sonti Small got a goal and Addison Gibbs had an assist.

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