Thomas Jefferson and Kentlake girls soccer tie 1-1
Published 3:15 pm Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Thomas Jefferson High School girls soccer team had one of the more remarkable runs in the 2025 season getting ever closer to the state tournament, but fell short against Silas in the district tournament.
A year wiser and a year later, the Raiders hope to return to the district tournament. But following a 1-1 draw against Kentlake on Oct. 19 that dream is fading away.
Kentlake held off Thomas Jefferson, on the field and in the standings, with a strong second half.
“We didn’t really show up in the first half,” Kentlake head coach Joe Grijalva said. “You’re happy to get one, I’m not mad about not having a result. We stay ahead in the standings, it’s not like there aren’t positives that came about.”
The Raiders got off to a great start against Kentlake, which they tied 0-0 on Sept. 21, and it came from an unlikely source.
Corner kicks and set pieces can be weapons for teams who master them, Thomas Jefferson head coach Sdney Banyai said the Raiders were working on set pieces. To execute on one early was a major step for her side.
“It was really nice. Malieta is able to just put that ball in perfectly and Callie is usually the one running in. It is beautiful to watch,” Banyai said.
Raider sophomore Malieta Redmond sent a perfect cross that found the head of senior captain Callie Moore who rightfully put the ball in the back of the net in the 18th minute.
It could have been a lot more for Thomas Jefferson if not for Kentlake’s Grace Engebo at goalkeeper in the first half.
“She was great,” Grijalva said of the rugby player. “At times she has been the best player on the field.”
The rest of the first half Thomas Jefferson continued to poke and prod the Kentlake defense. But the second half was not so kind to the Raiders.
“Our girls are just tired, it has been a long season and we have three games this week. We get tired and a little shaken, I don’t know why because they were dominating in the first half,” Banyai said.
Kentlake goal-scoring record holder Shannon Mclain was held in check in the first half, but she was moved around on the field and found time and space in the second half.
Mclain weaved her way through the defense and smashed a shot to the back of the net to make it 1-1.
“We were talking about her moving to defensive midfield, I wanted her to stay up and two minutes later she scored,” Grijalva said.
Much of the second half was played on the Thomas Jefferson side of the field. But the backline of Moore, Jordynn Koria and Claire Kaspersen held strong.
Only five teams will make the postseason from the 3A NPSL this season, the Raiders are sitting in sixth place with 19 points. Kentlake is the team in front of the Raiders occupying that final spot with 21 points.
“There are a lot of conversations where if we are not pushing our hardest our season could be over, it is the same thing as last year. We got to come together and keep pushing if we want it and tonight it looked like they wanted it,” Banyai said. “I think this was one of our best games.”
Both teams have three games remaining and if the Falcons want to stay in front, taking at minimum a point from Thomas Jefferson will be good enough.
Kentlake plays Kent-Meridian on Oct. 21 and Thomas Jefferson will play Decatur the same day.