Panthers Fall to Rival Spartans in League Opener

Abby Arneson

The Bonney Lake Panthers opened league play Tuesday night by hosting their rivals from down the hill, the Sumner Spartans. Bonney Lake entered the match with a 3–1 record on the season, while Sumner came in at 2–1–2. Last year, the Spartans finished first in the district with an 8–0–2 record and a No. 16 state ranking, while the Panthers ended at 7–6–3.

A chilly evening set the stage for a matchup that began with both sides locked into defense. For the first ten minutes, chances were limited, until the Panthers broke through. In the 11th minute, Layla Davisson made a run down the right sideline and sent a ball into the middle. Madison Campbell collected it and found Abby Arneson, who battled between two defenders before slotting home the opening goal. Bonney Lake jumped out to a 1–0 lead.

Layla Davisson

Sumner responded in the 34th minute, equalizing to make it 1–1. As halftime approached, the Spartans piled on the pressure, but Bonney Lake goalkeeper Abi Benigno came up with two remarkable saves in the final seconds to keep the score level at the break.

The second half belonged to Sumner. For the opening 10 minutes, the Panthers’ defense scrambled to contain wave after wave of Spartan attacks. The breakthrough came at the 60th minute, when Sumner converted a penalty kick to take a 2–1 lead. Just a minute later, the Spartans struck again on a fast break, extending their advantage to 3–1.

Sloane Ottele

Bonney Lake struggled to generate chances on the attacking end, while the defense worked overtime against Sumner’s relentless pace. In the 72nd minute, a long-range strike from 30 yards out curled into the corner of the net, sealing a 4–1 victory for the Spartans.

The Panthers will look to bounce back quickly as they hit the road Thursday to face South Kitsap in their next league match.