The Tahoma girls soccer team will be playing in the state tournament after beating the Kentlake Falcons 1-0. That is the simple part of the story.

But the real story was about two teams of girls, going through a day of twists and turns, and in the end playing 80 minutes of the best high school soccer anyone could ask to see.

The West Central District III playoff game was supposed to be played at 2 p.m. at Federal Way Stadium, but as the girls were warming up six gun shots rang out in an apartment complex near the stadium.

“It was so close,” coach Jason Johnson said. “(Coach) Kyle (Jones) and I had the teams in lock down in about 30 second.”

After the shooting incident, the game was moved to 7 p.m. at Tahoma, and just as the game was to begin, a lightning storm hit. The game was delayed 30 minute. As the parents and friends waited rain came down in sheets,

Finally the teams took the field and the girls played their hearts out in a defensive battle. The winning scored was kicked by sophomore Lauren Duty, unassisted, with 4 minutes and 11 seconds on the clock in the second half.

“I was in shock,” Duty said. “I was really excited. It was hard after everything we went through.”

Jones said after the game, “these two teams have an intense rivalry and a ton of respect for each other. Our (Kentlake) girls haven’t been in this position. We haven’t been in the playoffs since 2003 and here we are in the West Central District playoffs. “

Johnson said he knew it would be an 80-minute battle.

“Kyle and I have similar approaches,” Johnsons said. “I knew it would take one opportunity. Both of these teams played the best they could.”

Johnson said he felt his team had to “find the composure to finish. (Lauren) wanted that shot.”

Tahoma hosts Skyline at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the first game of the 4A girls state soccer tournament.