EDMONDS — Sven Pandel may have missed his chances early in the game. But when it mattered most he was on target.
Pandel scored the winning goal late in the second overtime period, giving the Shorewood Thunderbirds a 2-1 victory over the Meadowdale Mavericks on Saturday evening in a winner-to-state, loser-out 3A District 1 boys soccer game at Edmonds Stadium.
Pandel, a senior exchange student from Germany, had Shorewood’s best scoring chances during the first half, only to have one saved and see the second fly over the crossbar as Meadowdale built a 1-0 lead.
But Garrett Miyaoka rescued the T-birds late in regulation, scoring with three minutes remaining to put the game into extra time.
Then Pandel won it in the second extra period. Shorewood floated a cross into the penalty box, where it was headed toward Pandel at the post. Pandel was able to nod the ball into the corner to end the game and send the T-birds to state.
“It’s cool that I scored the winning goal, but I would be just as happy if someone else scored,” Pandel sad. “All that matters is that we won.
“I had a lot of pressure when I came back in, since they scored to make it 1-0,” Pandel added. “I was pretty nervous about the game and I was scared that it would be all my fault at the end.”
Instead the T-birds (13-5-2), the tournament’s No. 2 seed, earned the district’s third and final berth to state. Shorewood will play a road game in the first round against the No. 2 seed from District 3/4. The date and location are to be determined.
Meadowdale, the No. 4 seed which took the lead through a goal from Stuart Smith, finished its season 12-4-4.
Shorewood had more of the ball for most of the first half, sending a steady stream of set pieces into the Meadowdale penalty area. Mavericks goalkeeper Luke Lindgren had to be sharp to make saves on a deflected free kick, then deny Pandel in the chaos following a long throw-in. Pandel then found himself with a free run at goal, only to lift his shot over the crossbar.
But while Shorewood had more of the possession, it was Meadowdale that got the goal late in the first half. The Mavericks moved the ball well through midfield, opening up a crossing opportunity for James Parks on the right. He found Smith at the far post, and Smith put a header under T-birds goaltender Isaac Whitaker to give Meadowdale a 1-0 lead.
Shorewood had a great chance to tie it seven minutes into the second half when Mahmoud Santo turned and thundered a shot from the edge of the box. However, the ball rocketed back off the crossbar to keep it 1-0.
It looked as though the T-birds had missed their moment, but Shorewood found a way through at the last gasp. In the 77th minute Jack Bong sent a long throw in from the left toward the goal mouth. The ball was headed to the far post, where Miyaoka headed toward the net. Lindgren got to the ball, but not before it crossed the goal line to make it 1-1 and send the game to overtime.
At Edmonds Stadium
Goals—Stuart Smith (M), Garrett Miyaoka (S), Sven Pandel (S). Assists—James Parks (M). Goalkeepers—Meadowdale: Luke Lindgren. Shorewood: Isaac Whitaker. Records—Shorewood 13-5-2. Meadowdale 12-4-4.
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