Von Barnau Sythoff’s late goal lifts Tacoma Baptist to 2B boys title match

With the soccer ball bouncing in front of him on the icy turf, and his back to a defender, Tacoma Baptist ninth grader Daw Von Barnau Sythoff decided on one thing.

Thinking.

After that, it was his foot that sent the Crusaders into the Class 2B-1B state boys soccer championship match.

In a match that appeared headed for overtime, Von Barnau Sythoff fixed that with his game-winning 15-yard blast in the 75th minute, lifting Tacoma Baptist to a 1-0 state semifinal victory over Crosspoint Academy at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.

Next up, a familiar foe in St. George’s, which knocked the Crusaders out in the first round of the state playoffs in 2012 and 2013. The two teams will play Saturday, 4 p.m., at Sunset Chev Stadium.

It was a struggle for the Crusaders (16-1) to reach the 2B state title match. They were outplayed by the Warriors in the first half — not getting shots on goal, or maintaining possession.

But in a split second, it all turned.

Riley Byrne hurried through two defenders, and got the ball to Von Barnau Sythoff.

Von Barnau Sythoff knew a defender was right on his back.

“I didn’t know what to do. So I boxed out, pushed my butt out and waited for the ball to settle down,” Von Barnau Sythoff said.

A couple seconds passed and then the teenager turned around like a tornado, and blistered a shot past goalkeeper Josh Millermon.

“The last step was reaction,” Von Barnau Sythoff said. “I saw the ball and kicked it — and I sure kicked it (with) some passion.”

All first-year Tacoma Baptist coach Jenna Jones could do was watch the fantastic one-on-one maneuver.

“A great turn,” Jones said. “That was hard to pull off.”

After a sluggish first 60 minutes, the Crusaders finally put some shots on goal, outshooting Crosspoint Academy, 15-7. Six of those shots were by Crusaders midfielder Seth Talen.

“Obviously we were playing hard and stuff,” Talen said. “We were just trying to create opportunities in the (penalty) box, and hope we could get a shot on target.”

St. George’s knocked out defending state champion Mount Vernon Christian in the other semifinal, 3-0.

“I think our guys will be up for the challenge,” Jones said.

St. George’s 3, Mount Vernon Christian 0: Forward Michael Hamilton tallied a second-half hat trick, all in 13 minutes, and the Dragons (16-4) are in the state championship for the first time since 2012 by easily dethroning the defending champions at Sunset Chev Stadium.

The Hurricane’s smaller defense was no match for the speedy, physical Hamilton, who hit the first goal in the 44th minute on a left-footed, 20-yard blast inside the right post.

His next goal came eight minutes later, this time from the left side 25 yards out.

Hamilton’s last goal — his team-leading 29th tally of the season — was right in front of the goal in the 57th minute.

“I feel like we dominated the whole game,” Hamilton said. “We played great soccer, and I am very happy.”

Mount Vernon Christian’s Jack Hammingh, who was second in the state with 33 goals scored, was held without a shot on goal. In fact, the Hurricanes (20-2) were outshot, 21-2.

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 11:21 PM with the headline "Von Barnau Sythoff’s late goal lifts Tacoma Baptist to 2B boys title match."