Small but mighty: Jenna Howe eclipses century mark on pitch; leads undefeated West Valley on state title quest

They say “good things come in small packages.” Even in the sporting landscape, quality and importance are not necessarily tied merely to physical dimensions.

West Valley senior Jenna Howe personifies that axiom on the soccer pitch.

“She started off small – like, physically small,” West Valley coach CC Collins said. “But she has grown to be a senior who is incredibly smart, has great soccer IQ, and she’s strong and tough, and she’s able to take on just about anybody.”

In her first three years on varsity, Howe has twice earned first-team all-Greater Spokane League honors, and she was named the league’s offensive MVP her sophomore season. On Tuesday, she scored her 100th and 101st career goals, helping the Eagles (15-0, 10-0 GSL) beat Clarkston 9-0.

West Valley, which finished third at state last season and second the year before, has outscored opponents this season 113-0. In league, the disparity is even greater as the Eagles average 9.4 goals per game. Howe and some of the other starters rarely play in the second half of games.

“There’s a very large gap in talent (in the league),” Collins said. “Our (nonleague schedule) was our real skills test. … I almost wish that we could do (nonleague) right before we start postseason, so we can be ready for those games. But we just kind of challenge each other at practice because we are our own toughest competition.”

Collins and Howe both flatly stated that it would be a genuine disappointment if the Eagles don’t break through with a state title this year.

“Absolutely,” Collins said. “We’re just strictly focused on wanting to win that state championship, and that’s what we’re putting our heads to right now.”

“We talk about it every day,” Howe said. “It’s been our goal for the past two years, so to not win state would definitely be disappointing.”

West Valley has one regular season game remaining and the District 6 tournament starts Nov. 1 with the championship game on Nov. 6.

After her illustrious high school career concludes, Howe will take her skills a half hour west to Cheney, where she will join the Eastern Washington University women’s soccer team.

“I’m really excited just to be at that new level,” she said. “It’ll be definitely a big change and something, obviously, I haven’t experienced before. But I’m really excited, and I do hope to play in my freshman year.

She acknowledged that in college, players are “super-physical and strong and fast,” but added that her years in club soccer have helped her adjust to that style of play.

“Club players are all usually very good because you’re on the top team. All those players want to play in college,” she said. “We do a lot of traveling to California or Texas or North Carolina, and play in showcases where we get a lot of college exposure.”

Collins tries not to contemplate the inevitability of Howe’s final few high school soccer games. The Eagles have nine seniors who have played a lot of postseason soccer for the program.

“Oh my gosh, the season’s going so fast, and this is a really special group,” she said. “I just don’t even want to think about their season being over.”

“I’m definitely really sad about it,” Howe said. “I can’t believe it’s actually coming to an end already. High school season is probably my favorite part about soccer. I love all the girls, and it just makes the experience way better.”

Collins attributes a lot of the Eagles’ success in the high school program to the youth soccer programs and camps in Millwood.

“All the high school girls are the camp leaders, and I think that they teach those little kids to love the game of soccer,” she said. “The little kids look up to the high school athletes and want to grow up to be just like them one day, and so they continue their soccer journey and get excited about becoming an Eagle.”

For her part, Howe admitted that playing with confidence was something that she has struggled with in the past, but as she has gotten older she has realized how much of a role model she has become within the program and with younger players in the area.

“I get in my head a lot, and I just have to be able to get over small challenges. If I play with confidence and belief in my abilities and what I can do, I know I can do it,” she said.

“But I feel like a lot of people know who I am now. I definitely think there’s a big responsibility for me to keep playing how I play.”