PUYALLUP — Niki Genadiev had watched his Shorewood boys soccer team scratch and claw to two 1-0 victories in the state playoffs as the star junior forward had missed the latter half of the season with a sports hernia. With his recovery timeline slated to last another month, Genadiev was determined to get back onto the pitch ahead of Friday’s 3A state semifinal game at Sparks Stadium against No. 12 Ingraham.
“This is just family to me, I enjoy playing with them, and I wanted to play with them so badly,” Genadiev said. “Coming back into this game, I just wanted to win so badly for them.”
The junior, who was Shorewood’s leading scorer, didn’t look hobbled in the slightest. Genadiev did the unthinkable — procuring a hat trick after missing months of action to push No. 1 Shorewood (19-2-1) to a 3-1 win and their first state championship game berth since 1980. The Stormrays will take on No. 3 Mercer Island tomorrow at 4 p.m. for a state title.
With bad tournament memories still fresh in Shorewood senior goalkeeper Ivan Genadiev’s head, the joy of stacking a third straight win at state was clear. But for a late free kick goal while the Stormrays were up 3-0, Shorewood would have notched its sixth straight shutout.
“Last year, going out first round while being the No. 1 seed, that really motivated me to keep pushing and get better this year,” Ivan said, having conceded the one score despite six shots on goal from the Rams. “I just wanted to get better for this moment.”
Ivan only started playing varsity goalie last season, making the surprise of playing for a state title a welcome one.
“I never imagined this now, it’s the greatest feeling ever. Especially after last year,” Ivan said.
Ingraham was determined to make Shorewood’s elite defense earn it early, however.
After narrowly avoiding an early Rams goal that bounced off the crossbar 40 seconds into the game, Niki called his own number. Following a well-defended Ingraham corner kick, junior midfielder Samuel Rivero passed to Niki on a quick fifth-minute counterattack. Niki made short work of Ingraham’s back line, displaying his technical prowess as he weaved through defenders to find the bottom right corner of the net for his first goal.
Shorewood’s Niki Genadiev yells after scoring a goal during the 3A state semifinal game against Ingraham on Friday, May 30, 2025 in Puyallup, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
With the lingering injury, the junior knew it would take mental fortitude to play at his usual level.
“In warm-ups, I kind of had it in my mind of how painful it was going to be,” N. Genadiev said. “The pain went away with the adrenaline.”
Niki would again be tested in the 34th minute after he collided with Ingraham’s keeper, leaving him sprawled on the field for 40 seconds before he left the contest.
After a strong sequence by sophomore defender Caleb Butler to defuse a promising Ingraham attack in stoppage time, the Stormrays clung to a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
Despite his own ailments, Niki would look to buy his team some breathing room, re-entering the game in the second half. He’d get his chance in the 50th minute after Shorewood drew a free kick from about 18 yards out.
49:30 2H | 2-0 SHOREWOOD GOAL
Free kick from the 18 for the Stormrays and wouldn’t you know it Genadiev gets his brace.
Had to pose for a @ogvanniphoto of course.@HeraldNetPreps pic.twitter.com/mO38UoGNYZ— Qasim Ali (@qasimasports) May 30, 2025
A well-struck shot through the left side of Ingraham’s line would do the trick, as Niki celebrated a brace.
But the star forward wasn’t done letting his team know how much he missed the game of soccer. With a penalty kick forced in the 53rd minute, there wasn’t a doubt in the stadium regarding who would take it.
52:50 2H | 3-0 SHOREWOOD GOAL
Niki Genadiev where have you been!?
The junior star converts a pen to make it a hat trick in his return as the No. 1 Stormrays are firmly in control on both ends.@HeraldNetPreps pic.twitter.com/9AX25tbe8M— Qasim Ali (@qasimasports) May 30, 2025
After a staggered run-up that forced a jump from Ingraham’s keeper, Niki delivered a soft rolling shot to the middle of the goal. The game seemed to be over, given Shorewood hadn’t allowed a single goal all postseason. But considering the thrillers Shorewood head coach Shaun Warner has experienced recently, it was all business for the final 27 minutes.
Ingraham continued to press, as the Rams would finish with six shots on goal to Shorewood’s 10 and five corner kicks to Shorewood’s two.
The relentless paid off for the Rams, as Ingraham put a shot through during stoppage time on a free kick from about 20 yards out. Had it been any other contest, Warner may have been rallying his squad for overtime instead of congratulating them.
“A lot of our games were played close because we’re a team that can put one goal in, maybe two. Adding Niki … I think he’s a goal-and-a-half difference,” Warner said.
Shorewood’s Daniel Bruno traps the ball during the 3A state semifinal game against Ingraham on Friday, May 30, 2025 in Puyallup, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Warner called junior midfielders Daniel Bruno and Isak Medhaug the “heart” of the team after their quarterfinal win over Bellevue, given their versatility in playing both ways. Medhaug credited a change in thinking for the drastic strides in playoff performance this team has taken.
“Ever since last year, we believed we have the ability to get this far,” Medhaug said. “This year, we really focused on the mindset.”
At this advanced stage of the season, with injuries and fatigue piling on, Bruno continues to channel his pre-season mindset.
“We set it out early in the season, we know we can. So now that we’re here, we got to lock in. We got to go out there tomorrow like it’s any other game and finish it out,” Bruno said.
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