Stadium’s Bliskis scores game-winner in 1-0 win over Peninsula, sending Tigers to bidistrict championship game
Offense was at a premium in the Class 3A District 3/4 semifinal high school boys soccer game between Peninsula and Stadium.
For the first 64 minutes of the match, it was a defensive stalemate. Neither team could crack what the other was doing, but they were getting close. Balls shot from both the Tigers and Seahawks were creeping closer and closer to the net. Some even started to hit the crossbar.
But in that 64th minute, an errant pass from Peninsula junior midfielder Dylan Ladds found its way into the possession of Stadium senior forward Owen Bliskis. After maneuvering around the Seahawk defense, Bliskis drilled the ball past a leaping senior keeper Yzahir Cornelio for the first and only goal of the match.
The Tigers would hold onto their 1-0 lead for the remainder of the contest, advancing to the bidistrict championship game against Bainbridge on Thursday.
“There was good possession both ways. As the game started to build out of the first 10 minutes, we started to figure out their build a little bit and started to get a little more dangerous in the attack,” said Stadium coach Jeremy Leffel. “I think the second half it opened up both ways a little bit. They were dangerous, and they gave themselves some chances late in the game. But I think we were a little more dangerous in the moment that counted.”
From that point, momentum favored the Tigers, and the defense held strong against the relentless Seahawks offense. There were, again, a few close balls in the box that Peninsula couldn’t capitalize on. Stadium’s backline did their job and senior keeper Sam Walter had a couple of key saves in his clean sheet performance.
“I knew that I had to do my job, which keeps a clean sheet for the team,” Walter said. “As much as I want to be a part of what they do, I can’t be the biggest part. I have to rely on them, just like I know they can rely on me. I have to keep a calm head because the calmer I am, the more slowly things will move.”
With the Tigers dropping as deep as they did defensively, and especially after their goal was scored, that put a wrench into the Seahawks’ offensive strategies. It made it nearly impossible for Peninsula to breakthrough.
The Seahawks tried desperately to get any sort of momentum back, but the balls were just not falling in the net like they wanted them to.
“The team was a little more desperate [after Stadium scored]. They tried to equalize. When that happens at the end of the game, it’s tough to create the momentum to go,” said Peninsula coach Ozer Kocdemir. “I’m very proud of the boys, they kept trying all the way to the end. We didn’t stop, we kept pushing forward and I feel like we could’ve gotten the equalizer there at the end.”
The upset win for the Tigers lands them in the finals where they will compete for the bidistrict championship against Bainbridge Island at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 12 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.
As for Peninsula, they will play in the 3rd/4th game against crosstown rival Gig Harbor. Both teams know each other, know what is at stake, and how hard the game will be. That matchup will be at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 12 at Harry Lang Stadium.
No. 8 BAINBRIDGE ISLAND 0 (5), No. 5 GIG HARBOR 0 (4)
It took a full 90 minutes and several penalty kicks, but the Spartans of Bainbridge Island are heading to the West Central District 3/4 3A championship.
The Tides’ defense negated the speed Bainbridge Island has on the field and took away the long-ball offense they like to play with. Rather than move the ball in big chunks, Gig Harbor forced ball possession and made the Spartans unsure where to pass.
“I felt very good about my boys adjusting to them and neutralizing their main threats,” said coach Joe Ross. “They were communicating out there. The nice thing about this group is that there are a lot of seniors. They know each other and they’ve played with each other. They trust each other. And when they play as a unit, they don’t give up too many goals. That was evident throughout the season as well.”
There were plenty of missed opportunities on both sides to take the late lead. Balls were either inches away from the goal on missed kicks, or incredible saves were made by the Spartans’ senior keeper Caleb Saks and senior Aiden Bartlett for the Tides.
As the refs blew the whistle on the second overtime, both squads lined up for penalty kicks. Bainbridge Island would snag an early lead up two goals to one, but then Gig Harbor would take it back at one point and lead 4-3.
After two made shots by the Spartans and a miss by the Tides, the match was decided for the Spartans.
“That’s the biggest thing, they’ve learned to pull it together as a team. They support each other,” Ross said. “PKs are a 50/50 shot. Our two misses came from players who I would’ve bet [would make them]. That’s the cruel side of soccer. We’re a mid-range ranked team, and this is supposed to be a top-three team in the state. We can handle them.”
The Tides will square off against their most familiar opponent, Peninsula, in the 3rd/4th place game at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 12 at Harry Lang Stadium.