SUMNER — Pressure? What pressure? There’s no room for pressure when you’re prepared.
Archbishop Murphy goalkeeper Daniel Mycroft saved Sehome’s first and last penalty kicks and the Wildcats went on to defeat the Mariners 1-0 with a 5-4 decision in penalty kicks in a Class 2A state semifinal game Friday night at Sunset Chev Stadium.
“I was ready. I was confident,” Mycroft said. “We practice this every day in practice. I was 100 percent confident that my teammates were going to score, and look what happened.”
The shootout went six rounds before Mycroft knocked Rylan Hinkle’s attempt off the right post to propel the defending state champion Wildcats back to the title match Saturday at 5 p.m. against Quincy. The Jackrabbits beat Lindbergh 2-0 Friday night in the other 2A semifinal.
“We had it all the way and I knew my teammates were going to score in the PK shootout,” Mycroft said. “I knew if I could make one or two big saves I would be able to come up and send us through.”
Murphy (20-1) is in search of its fourth state title after winning in 2015, 2004 and in 1994 as Holy Cross. The Wildcats dealt the Mariners (15-2-1) their only two losses of the season — the first coming by a 3-0 margin in the district final two weeks ago.
“I thought there were some moments where we weren’t quite ourselves, but the thing we talked about is that with these games there is so much pressure,” Murphy coach Mike Bartley said. “Whatever hand we’re dealt we need to step up and just deal with it then because there is no tomorrow.”
The Wildcats chose to go against the westerly wind in the first half and controlled much of the early possession despite the conditions.
Sehome’s best scoring chances in the first half came on nearly identical free kicks following Murphy fouls from 30 yards out in the 25th and 27th minutes.
The Wildcats nearly took the lead in the 37th minute. Matt Williams’ header off a corner kick hit the post, and Ryan Henderson put the rebound right on frame. But Sehome goalie Devin Tuueb was there to make the point-blank save and kept the shutout intact.
Then the wind died down negating what Murphy figured would be a second-half advantage.
Murphy put a free kick over the crossbar in the 47th minute. Sehome’s best chance came 10 minutes later when Jack Willis leaked behind the Wildcats defense and got off a shot. But one of the Murphy defenders got back in time to deflect it away.
Tuueb saved 10 shots in regulation and Mycroft finished with seven.
Diego Rios, Williams, Jensen Crisler, Parker Buchanan and Mitchell Lovell scored in the shootout for Murphy. Noah Byford, Mason Rathkamp, Kevin Sun and Charlie Lahud scored for Sehome.
Mycroft has now recorded nine straight shutouts. The Wildcats haven’t been scored on since a 3-1 victory at King’s on April 26.
“He’s so calm and cool,” Bartley said. “There were times where he would chest trap the ball and kill time and pick it up. He’s the real deal and I’m real happy we have him.”
Senior-laden Sehome plays for third place today at noon. The Mariners, with 14 seniors on the roster, were in search of their third state title in program history and first since 2008.
At Sunset Chev Stadium
Shootout goals: Archbishop Murphy—Diego Rios, Matt Williams, Jensen Crisler, Parker Buchanan, Mitchell Lovell. Sehome— Noah Byford, Mason Rathkamp, Kevin Sun, Charlie Lahud. Records—Sehome 15-2-1. Archbishop Murphy 20-1.
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