Crenshaw’s answer gives Marysville-Pilchuck return trip to state

Published 11:30 pm Tuesday, May 12, 2009

LAKE STEVENS — John Crenshaw was not about to allow Marysville-Pilchuck’s dominance to go for naught.

Full of tricks and turns throughout the game, the junior striker saved his best trick for the most-vital moment, scoring the game-winning goal as the Tomahawks defeated the Jackson Timberwolves 2-1 Tuesday night in the first round of the Class 4A District 1 boys soccer tournament.

Crenshaw netted the game winner less than two minutes after Jackson tied it against the run of play as Marysville-Pilchuck (15-0-2), the Wesco North champion, booked a place in Saturday’s district title game against Kamiak. The victory also secured the Tomahawks’ second consecutive berth to state.

“It feels great,” Crenshaw said about the victory. “Oh-nine second time, that’s our slogan.”

Kevin Chavez also scored and goalkeeper Kyle Bluhm made two important plays for Marysville-Pilchuck, which outshot Jackson 17-5 in the contest.

Tommy Ellis scored for Jackson (12-3-2), the Wesco South No. 2 seed, which faces a tough road to join the Tomahawks at state. The T-Wolves must first beat Monroe on Thursday, then overcome either Snohomish or Edmonds-Woodway in Saturday’s third-place game to advance to state.

“It’s the road we paved for ourselves,” Jackson coach Brett Norton said. “Monroe’s a good squad, a physical squad. We’ve got to win two games to get there. Tonight if you win one you’re there, now we have to win two, so it’s a little tougher road.”

Marysville-Pilchuck controlled possession most of the game, with Chavez’s 36th-minute goal staking the Tomahawks to a 1-0 lead. However, the Timberwolves scored against the run of play nine minutes into the second half on Ellis’ header to tie it, and suddenly the outcome was in the balance.

Enter Crenshaw. Less than two minutes later he received the ball on the left side of the penalty box. There seemed little immediate danger as a Jackson defender was draped all over him. But a deft change of direction allowed Crenshaw to shake his marker, and he slotted the ball past T-wolves goalkeeper Eric Hodel to restore Marysville-Pilchuck’s lead.

“All season the guys have responded,” Marysville-Pilchuck coach Geoff Kittle said. “When (an opponent) scores we seem to get one right back. We’ve only been down about 30 seconds all year — against Snhohomish they scored to make it 2-1 and then we scored pretty much off the kickoff. Our guys respond right away and that’s really impressive that they have that kind of mental edge.”

Bluhm was called into action twice in the following five minutes, racing off his line to deny chances for Tye Hastings and Devin Mendiola and maintain the Tomahawks’ advantage. Then Marysville-Pilchuck had several chances to kill the game off only to spurn the opportunities, but ultimately a third goal was not required.

“I think it was a tale of two halves,” Norton said. “I think they dominated the first half. They’re an excellent team, Marysville-Pilchuck deserves all the credit. We haven’t faced a team or players like that all season long and we weren’t ready for them. They really took it to us in the first half. We countered a little bit, got our minds straight and took it to them in the second half, but it was a little late.”

Marysville-Pilchuck now has the opportunity to win its first-ever boys soccer district championship.

“That would be huge,” Crenshaw said. “It would be the first plaque for Marysville soccer on the wall.”

Marysville-Pilchuck found an opening with less than four minutes remaining in the first half, thanks to a sly move by Chavez. The Tomahawks earned a free kick on the right edge of the penalty box, with Brady Ballew choosing to roll the ball toward the goal rather than cross it in. Chavez, with his back toward goal, put the slightest of back-heeled flicks on the ball, and it rolled past Hodel into the far corner to make it 1-0.

Jackson tied it up in the 49th minute. Mendiola floated a free kick for the left to the far post where the towering Ellis, pushed up from his defensive position, buried a header to tie it up.