The Edmonds-Woodway girls soccer team is back to state with a 3A state title to defend and a No. 1 seed in hand.

Junior forward Ellie Shull scored in the 52nd minute by booting in a ball that ricocheted off Arlington goalkeeper Kat Sanchez to give the Warriors the goal they needed to clinch the 3A District 1 title at Arlington High School Saturday night. The sequence that led to goal started with a pass by senior midfielder Gabby Clark to set things up.

“I honestly didn’t think it was going in because I hit the goalie so hard,” Shull said, adding that she started to celebrate with her teammates once she realized the goal was good and no foul was going to be called by the referee.

The Warriors will play a first-round playoff game on Tuesday or Wednesday on their home field at Edmonds Stadium.

Arlington’s had a few chances to tie it late in the second half but couldn’t convert. The Warriors held defensively and then went on a furious attack in the final minute, firing off four shots that narrowly missed the back of the goal. After a night marked mostly by a lack of scoring opportunities, it was impressive, even if the Warriors aim was lacking.

Arlington had the best scoring chance of the first half when senior midfielder Olivia Larson nearly beat the E-W defense to launch a shot in the 37th minute that Warriors’ goalkeeper Hannah Hicks dived to her right to block and force a corner kick.

“When we get caught (on the defensive end) Hannah’s come through,” LeCompte said.

Hicks’ stellar play in goal continued as the Warriors racked up their 14th shutout of the year and improved to 16-1-2 on the year.

The Warriors beat Arlington on Sept. 17, 1-0, at Arlington in their only league meeting of the season.

“They’re a heckuva team; they’ve cleaned up their play,” said LeCompte, whose team had a particularly difficult time getting much going on offense in the first half at all, in part because of the Eagles defense.

Last year, Madison Schultz was the dominant goal scorer on Edmonds-Woodway, but this season, 11 or 12 different players have scored and it’s been more spread around, LeCompte said.

“I think we move the ball better this year than last year,” LeCompte said. “We don’t score as many goals.”

“It’s been a tremendous collective effort,” he added.

Schultz, who is not playing high school soccer this year, was in the stands to root the Warriors on. She will play for woman’s soccer powerhouse North Carolina next year.

Is it fun being the defending champion and going back to state?

“It is, the feeling of going back is awesome,” Shull said.

— By Tony Dondero