The Juanita Bumblebees, a girls U15 team in the Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association, finished second in the state championship tournament the weekend of Dec. 10-11 at the Starfire soccer complex in Tukwila.

The Bees’ path to the championship game began with a repeat as District II champions with a 1-0 win over the Northshore Turf Tigers on Nov. 20. The Bees then advanced through to the state finals with a 4-0 quarterfinal win over the Tracyton Blaze, followed by a 1-0 semi-final victory against a previously unbeaten Vancouver Breeze team, before losing, 2-1, during the finals.

The Bees went 6-1 during the post-season tournament, scoring 19 goals and giving up only three. The team also knocked off two previously undefeated teams. The Bees, who were also District II Champs and third in state in 2015, are a team of local middle-school girls coached by Chris Burke and Nelson Taggart and most have played together for eight years.

Team members include Michelle Ladiges, Natalie Sauze, Elly LaMonte, Sicily Oakenfold, Baily Broyles, Erin Ryder, Natalie Ferrara, Kayla Huff, Madison Nguyen, Katie Main, Julia Santamaria, Mackenzie Burke, Roxanne Taggart, Emily Nikolai, Laila Taraghi, Samantha Henry and Lexi Durbin.