The long road trip to the coast ended in heartbreak for the No. 5 seed Cashmere Bulldogs on Saturday, as they fell 1–0 to No. 4 seed Montesano in a tightly contested 1A state quarterfinal.

Cashmere controlled much of the first half, dictating tempo and pinning Montesano back with wave after wave of pressure. The Bulldogs nearly struck in the 5th minute when Tatum Ficker drove down the right flank and unleashed a shot from 20 yards out that rattled off the crossbar. The near-miss set the tone for the half, as Cashmere repeatedly carved out opportunities but saw attempts drift just wide or sail inches high. Despite dominating possession, the match remained scoreless at halftime.

Montesano came out more aggressive after the break, but Cashmere quickly adjusted. Sophomore Makelah Gatens and junior Brynne Patrick sparked the attack with consistent pressure, while the central-midfield trio of Gwen Ledesma, Addie Talley and Alyssa Soria controlled the rhythm and forced Montesano into a more direct style of play.

The breakthrough, however, belonged to Montesano. Midway through the half, a long throw-in skipped into the box and found a Montesano attacker, who managed to poke a toe-ball past the back post for the match’s lone goal.

Cashmere pushed relentlessly over the final 22 minutes, generating chance after chance. Their last look of the match came in the waning seconds, but a strong save from the Montesano keeper sealed the result. Cashmere finished with a 16–8 advantage in shots.

The Bulldogs conclude an exceptional season with a 19–3 record, an SCAC Championship and a District 5 Championship. Seven seniors suited up for their final match, leaving behind an impressive legacy that includes four league titles, three district crowns, three state quarterfinal appearances and a trip to the Final Four.

Congratulations to the CHS soccer team on an outstanding season.