DUVALL – The Archbishop Murphy Wildcats were looking for an upset. Instead, they received the soccer version of an uppercut.
In a clash between the top two girls soccer teams in the Cascade Conference, the first-place Cedarcrest Red Wolves attacked early and often en route to a 5-0 throttling of Archbishop Murphy on Tuesday night at Cedarcrest Stadium.
The Wildcats had won six straight since losing to Cedarcrest 2-1 on Sept. 14 in Everett. That result suggested the rematch would be another close one, but Cedarcrest turned it into a rout.
Afterward, Archbishop Murphy coach Pat Jack looked disappointed but said she thought her team competed hard: “I think the girls played very well. We had a lot of good chances. We just didn’t finish.”
Their opponent, on the other hand, did.
Senior midfielder Amanda Johnson scored her league-leading 19th goal of the season in the first half and added No. 20 in the second half to help fuel Cedarcrest (9-0 Cascade Conference, 11-0 overall), which emphatically strengthened its grip on first place. The Red Wolves defeated Archbishop Murphy (7-2, 9-2) for the sixth straight time since 2004.
“The first time we played them (this season), they didn’t play this well,” Jack said.
Cedarcrest scored twice over a span of 4:20 midway through the first half – the second by Johnson from in close – and led 2-0 at halftime. Murphy never recovered.
“That’s been our goal: coming at (an opponent) and imposing our presence real fast,” Cedarcrest coach Greg Anderson said of generating early offense.
Murphy didn’t have its leading scorer, senior Drea Gaitan (12 goals, three assists), who injured her left shoulder Thursday in a 2-1 victory against King’s.
“It would sure be nice to have her,” Jack said of Gaitan, whose shoulder is in a sling. The co-captain could be out another three or four days, Jack said.
“We’re gonna work on getting healthy and pick up the pace,” Jack added.
One of Murphy’s best chances to score came with two minutes to go. Alli Beard drilled a free kick toward the net but the ball smacked the crossbar and Cedarcrest cleared it.
Amanda Biggs, a senior forward, had a goal and an assist for Cedarcrest, which has outscored opponents 52-5 this season. The Red Wolves placed third in the Class 3A state tournament last fall and, after dropping to 2A this season, look ready for another strong postseason run.
Biggs made it 3-0 in the sixth minute of the second half when she lofted a 40-yard free kick inside the right post. It was her eighth goal of the season. Later, Biggs’ pass set up Johnson’s second goal to make it 5-0 in the 67th minute.
“We’re all on the same page and our captains (are great),” Anderson said of Johnson and Biggs. “It’s just one of those teams that’s got great chemistry.”
At Cedarcrest H.S.
Goals-Cedarcrest: A. Murphy own goal, Johnson 2, Biggs, Kearney. Assists-Cedarcrest: Griffen, Biggs. Goalkeepers-Archbishop Murphy: Carratt, Connelly. Cedarcrest: Butterfield. Records-Archbishop Murphy 7-2 in conference, 9-2 overall. Cedarcrest 9-0, 11-0.
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