Just 16 teams from throughout Washington remain in the hunt for the Class 3A soccer championships and the Bonney Lake Panthers can be counted among that elite group.

With a South Puget Sound League 3A championship already in their pocket, the Panthers clinched a state tournament berth Saturday with a 2-1, bi-district victory over Columbia River, the No. 3 seed out of the Southwest District. The Panthers had entered the contest as the No. 2 squad from the West Central District, having lost a seeding game Nov. 3 to Kennedy Catholic of the Seamount League.

Bonney Lake’s state tournament opener – a loser-out affair – is against Liberty High of Issaquah. Game time is 7 p.m. in Issaquah. If the Panthers win, their state quarterfinal game will be played Saturday on the road against Camas or Juanita.

The victory over Columbia River, coming at Highline Stadium in Burien, saw the Panthers take a 1-0 halftime lead thanks to a goal by Madison Adams in the 26th minute. Columbia River tied the contest at the 56-minute mark but Bonney Lake received the game-winner in the 72nd minute off the foot of Brianna Jones.