When Gretchen Hanson took the Oak Harbor girls soccer coaching job three years ago there’s one thing that she wanted to do above all else: beat Snohomish on their home field.

That goal came true Thursday night when the Wildcats defeated the Panthers 2-0 on their home turf for the first time in 13 years.

“It was my goal when I came here to coach, because I didn’t do it it when I played here,” she said. “It was a legacy I wanted to leave behind. I didn’t know it was going to happen this early, but it’s great.”

After battling to a 0-0 tie in the first half, Oak Harbor came out a focused team in the second frame.

The Cats struck first in the 56th minute on an upper-v shot into the right corner by senior Gretyl Pruss. Pruss was able to break loose for the shot after receiving a nice assist from senior Tina Nicolas.

Pruss also scored the insurance goal in the 80th minute, when she took a nice through pass from her sister Abigal and placed it in the back of the net.

“They were very determined,” Hanson said of her team. “They have a mentality of do or die and every game is another game closer to state.”

Junior goalkeeper Sheena Paddock made three saves and picked up her first shutout.

Oak harbor 5, Stanwood 1

Before the season started, there was excitement brewing about the possibilities at what could be done at the forward positions for Oak Harbor.

Tuesday night’s 5-1 Wildcat victory over Stanwood proved there was plenty of reason for excitement.

Moving Nicolas up from the center mid-field position last year to join Gretyl Pruss at the other forward spot this season, paid dividends for the Cats in their first game of 2003.

Nicolas picked up three goals for Oak Harbor, while Pruss got one goal on three assists.

“This was the first time we’ve ever worked together up front,” Nicolas said. “We’ve always had a connection on the field, but it was good to be up front with her because it obviously worked.”

Nicolas placed the Cats’ first goal in the back of the net in the 15th minute of the first half, after receiving a perfect throw in from senior midfielder Jenny White. White’s toss took one bounce over the head of Nicolas as she vollyed the ball in from the left side.

Oak Harbor gathered their next score less than two minutes later, when White slipped behind the defense, scoring on the first assist from Pruss.

Taking a 2-0 lead, Oak Harbor was caught off guard by Stanwood with 16:30 remaining in the first half. While trying out their new zone defense for the first time in a game situation, the Cats allowed Spartan sophomore Brittany Sutton to sneak her way past the back line. Sutton’s shot was placed perfectly past the diving arms of Paddock for Stanwood’s only goal of the game.

Aside from the one defensive let down, Hanson was thrilled with the adjustments her defenders made.

“I was extremely happy that we were able to work out the kinks with our new defense,” she said. “We had one mistake, which when you’re running a brand new defense and you’ve only had eight days to practice it—hey that’s alright.”

Starting out the second half with a slim 2-1 lead, the Oak Harbor offense came alive.

“In the first half we were a little bit skittish, we were holding onto the ball too much, it just wasn’t clicking,” Hanson said. “By the second half the movement of the ball was much better.”

Seven minutes into the half, Pruss connected with Nicolas, who was alone in the box. She maneuvered around Spartan keeper Megan Aikens with ease, placing her second goal in the back of the net. Pruss and Nicolas hooked up again only minutes later on a header pass from midfield that lead Nicolas to a break-away goal.

“It was all the midfield that supported me,” Nicolas said. “Greytl had some awesome assists through the middle.”

Pruss put in a goal of her own with 10:20 left on an assist from sophomore Maria Bottenberg, after barely missing several close shots throughout the contest.

“That’s what Gretyl does,” Hanson said. “She produces, she keeps them running and guessing, which is fun to watch.”

The Cats have their next game at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16 at home against Arlington. Despite the concerns at Memorial Stadium, girls soccer will continue to hold their games at the field because they draw smaller crowds than football.