Skyline scores off deflection to end Puyallup's season; Sumner advances to 4A semifinals in 2 OT
As much as anybody, soccer players have to come to grips with the unlucky bounces of their sport.
And the Puyallup High School Vikings certainly saw that go against them in their Class 4A state quarterfinals match Saturday against Skyline.
Junior Tucker Howey scored off a deflection in front of the Vikings’ goal in the 63rd minute, and the Spartans held on for a 1-0 victory at Sparks Stadium.
Skyline (16-1-3), the KingCo 4A runner-up, advanced to the state semifinals for the first time since 2011. The Vikings’ season ends at 17-3.
These two perennial state contenders seem to have a habit of finding each other in the postseason. The meeting Saturday was their fifth state-tournament showdown since 2010 — with Skyline winning four of the five matchups.
“I think there are probably some other teams we’d rather face at this point,” Puyallup coach Matt White said. “Don Braman (the Skyline coach) is a classy guy. He coaches them so well.”
Given that the Vikings controlled possession for much of the action, this result will sting for a while.
And right before Howey’s goal, Puyallup had two great opportunities to grab the lead in the second half.
The first came in the 52nd minute when Ethan Carlson had a point-blank shot at the Skyline goal, but Skyline goalkeeper Lucas Richardson, who is 6-foot-5, knocked away the 15-foot blast.
Five minutes later, it was Carlson again who looked to have a chance on the left side. His shot to the left post was stopped by Richardson.
“We outplayed them and out-possessed them,” White said. “And they outscored us.”
Skyline’s goal came from the middle of a scrum. Laku Nagami fired a shot that caught the foot of a Vikings’ defender, only to come directly to Howey.
“I just saw the ball, and let instincts allow me to go and try and finish it,” Howey said.
He did, punching it past Puyallup goalkeeper Brandon Limes for his second goal of the season.
The Vikings had their 14-game winning streak snapped.
“To see us dominate, and get unlucky in front of the goal, it is a little disappointing,” Carlson said. “But we came together as a team more than I thought we would.”
Sumner 3, at Glacier Peak 2 (2 OT): Mickey Poe's goal at the end of the second overtime lifted the Spartans to their first state semifinal berth.
This story was originally published May 19, 2018 at 10:29 PM with the headline "Skyline scores off deflection to end Puyallup's season; Sumner advances to 4A semifinals in 2 OT."