Repeat heartbreak: Shorewood boys soccer falls in title game

Published 12:30 am Sunday, May 31, 2026

PUYALLUP — Winning is all the Shorewood boys soccer team has done.

Four consecutive District 1 titles, a runner-up showing at the 2025 Class 3A state tournament and now a chance at redemption against the same No. 1 Mercer Island squad that vanquished the No. 2 Stormrays (21-1-1) in the title game last season.

But as the final seconds ticked off the 2026 title game at Sparks Stadium on Saturday night, a familiar feeling washed over Shorewood. Mercer Island’s first-half goal was all that remained on the scoreboard as the Islanders (16-2-1) clinched their second straight title to send Shorewood back into despair in a 1-0 loss.

It was the first time all season the Stormrays had lost, much less been held scoreless. Chances hit the crossbar, skied over the net and even hit the right post in second-half stoppage time with Shorewood one goal back.

“It wasn’t meant to be,” senior captain Isak Medhaug said.

Winning is all Shorewood has done.

But all the Stormrays spoke about, after the raw emotion of heartbreak, of course, was each other.

“They built a family for me; I feel like every day I could go to practice and there was a community,” Medhaug, a Pacific Lutheran commit, said. “It’s more than a team.”

Fellow senior captain Daniel Bruno was cut from the team as a freshman. He went on to play the following three seasons, captaining the squad as a senior and earning an offer from the Colorado School of Mines in three district-winning efforts.

“It was such a unique community,” Bruno said of the program. “The work ethic that we had was something I’ve never seen from a high school team anywhere, and that makes it feel like we already did win.”

Head coach Shaun Warner and his staff have overseen multiple contending Shorewood teams over the past four seasons. Some fell short in early State upsets while these past two editions have made it one step short of the ultimate goal. Last year’s team went down 3-0 to this Mercer Island squad in the title match before rallying to score the final two goals.

He believes his program has cultivated something more valuable than a trophy case.

“It’s not the wins and losses, it’s about creating the culture, and these guys stood for a brotherhood, accountability and humility,” Warner said. “Those are all three things… that these guys can take with themselves for the rest of their lives.”

On the pitch, it was the type of effort that usually nets the Stormrays some much-needed goals.

With Mercer Island sophomore keeper Adam Kiviat set to have an impressive game, Shorewood had a golden opportunity to strike before he got in his rhythm.

The Stormrays had worked the ball deep into the box in the third minute, forcing Kiviat off his line. It fell to junior Elias Magallanes, who scooped a tough shot up in the fray.

It hit the crossbar to draw a collective wince from the Shorewood faithful.

A minute later, the Stormrays drew two free kicks from either side of the box, but neither netted dangerous chances. By the 10th, Shorewood dominated possession. Bruno fired a dangerous cross at striker Kai Ayers, but his shot was blocked in close.

The Islanders, intent on bringing the momentum back to their side, started working the sidelines. They forced Shorewood’s staunch defense into compromising spots, inducing defensive kicks out of bounds 30-40 yards from goal.

“We knew that was a big part of their game,” Warner said of the throw-ins, as senior Islander Kyle Cupic specialized in that facet of the game. “That throw, every time you kick it out of bounds, it’s coming right back into your box.”

Indeed, after multiple deep throw-ins, the Islanders managed to get the ball back into Shorewood’s box with a heave in the 16th. Shorewood couldn’t clear its lines in time, as Mercer Island sophomore defender Dylan Jones buried a shot off a rebound to stun the Stormrays.

But Shorewood, fresh off a rousing comeback win over Eastside Catholic and a penalty-kick win over Bishop Blanchet, was intent on regaining the lead.

Shorewood’s own deep-throw-in specialist, junior Christian Costello, delivered a perfect throw for Caleb Butler in the 31st as the star junior defender headed it in.

But before the Stormrays could celebrate, a foul was called on Shorewood to negate the score and resume their desperate search for an equalizer.

Leading Stormrays scorer Nikola “Niki” Genadiev made some magic in first-half stoppage, chipping the ball up at the edge of the box to force a handball and dangerous free kick.

He delivered one of his patented strikes, but it was too close to Kiviat’s waiting arms to end the half.

“We just said in the locker room to put everything you got out there,” Medhaug said of the halftime discussion.

In the 55th, senior winger Ian Baxter found himself in a breakaway 1-on-1 with Kiviat. With the game at his feet, Baxter could change the outcome in that moment.

But it was the sophomore’s moment to shine, as Baxter delivered a nifty chip over Kiviat, only for the keeper to reach up and barely usher it over the crossbar on a one-handed touch save.

After a series of Costello throw-ins, one of which nearly resulted in a Butler goal in the 61st, the game crept into second-half stoppage.

Shorewood senior keeper Kaare Nye was called into action as a Mercer Island free kick hit the crossbar thanks to a slight deflection from Nye while the follow-up was skied.

Only the referee knew how much time remained on Shorewood’s season as the Stormrays earned another Costello throw to the six-yard box. Like the Mercer Island goal, it was deflected around and sat just long enough for Medhaug to square up behind it for a shot.

By Medhaug’s account, his shot was slightly blocked as it hit the right post with Kiviat out of the equation.

“It was a good play,” Medhaug said of the defending. “I was running around, just got a shot off.”

That was the last action for Shorewood’s offense, as the final whistle cemented a second straight runner-up campaign and the end of an undefeated season.

The familiar feeling of defeat sunk in as players fell all over the pitch while others sat on the bench to stare blankly. Leaders like Bereket picked their teammates up as the coaching staff made sure to push the team toward their supporters.

The outpouring of applause from friends and family lessened the wound.

“A loss like we had, it makes it easier when you have a bunch of people that love you,” Warner said. “That’s what champions are… even after a tough, tough defeat, you have someone that loves you and that you can celebrate successes and losses with.”

Bruno, also a senior captain, is onto college soccer just four years after feeling the sting of not making the team.

“It feels like I made it,” Bruno said with a smile. “I was cut from the whole program, and so to be here, to be a captain, to be a leader stepping up in big moments… it’s something I’m proud of personally.”

Genadiev’s season, which featured over 20 goals and 10 assists, was among the best in the State, following an injury-riddled junior campaign with his best year yet.

He and many of the seniors stayed on the pitch before getting on the bus, soaking in their final moments as high school soccer players. Genadiev is off to nationals with his club squad Seattle United this summer as he mulls over college and future options.

With his time at Shorewood wrapped up, he took a moment to appreciate what the team has meant. 13 seniors and nine juniors composed the 2026 squad, and Genadiev was just glad to work alongside players he grew up with.

“I’m happy that I did it with these guys,” Genadiev said. “I would do it over a million times if I could.”