SHORELINE — For the seventh consecutive season, the Snohomish boys soccer program is state-tournament bound.
But by no means did a win come easy Tuesday evening at Shoreline Stadium.
“Is there a better team than Squalicum?” Panthers coach Matt Raney asked after the game. “Hands down, they are the most complete side we have seen. They were so dangerous, so competent in every way, shape and form.”
Snohomish was on the defense most of the night, repelling Squalicum’s continuous attack. The Panthers received a tremendous performance by goalkeeper Michael Herrera and pulled out a 1-0 District 1 tournament semifinal win thanks to a clutch, late individual effort by senior midfielder Conner Smith.
The win advanced the Panthers (13-3-1) to a District 1 title match against Shorecrest at 7 p.m. Saturday at Shoreline Stadium.
Herrera, who Raney billed the “man of the match,” kept the Panthers in the game with 11 saves, including several crucial ones during the game’s waning moments.
Herrera’s work paid off when in the 61st minute Smith put the Panthers in front 1-0.
Smith got the ball at his feet off a deflection with open space on the right side of the field just beyond the 18-yard box. He took one touch and blasted a low-liner across the face of the Squalicum keeper and into bottom-left corner of the net.
“That’s what big-time players do in big games,” Raney said. “They emerge and rise and they win games. Every bit of confidence Conner would do that and will do that again.”
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