Glacier Peak’s Keegan Rubio (center) holds up two fingers to celebrate his second goal in the Grizzlies’ 3-0 victory over Mount Vernon in the 4A District 1 championship match Thursday at Goddard Stadium in Everett. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Glacier Peak’s Keegan Rubio (center) holds up two fingers to celebrate his second goal in the Grizzlies’ 3-0 victory over Mount Vernon in the 4A District 1 championship match Thursday at Goddard Stadium in Everett. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Glacier Peak boys soccer beats Mount Vernon, heads to state

Keegan Rubio scored twice in the Grizzlies’ 3-0 win over the Bulldogs in the 4A district title match.

EVERETT — After a regular-season split and a shared conference title, Glacier Peak in its third meeting with Mount Vernon emphatically laid claim to the 4A District 1 boys soccer crown.

And the Grizzlies’ stars delivered in GP’s biggest game of the year.

“The last three games we have been changing,” Grizzlies coach Teddy Mitalas said. “We went to a new lineup, and now they are together. I had to change it up a little bit, and it’s working. I’m proud of these boys.”

Senior forward Keegan Rubio scored twice, including what Mitalas estimated was the “goal of the year,” Danny Guerrero added a goal and an assist and Glacier Peak claimed its fourth consecutive state berth with a 3-0 Class 4A District 1 tournament title game win over Mount Vernon on Thursday night at Goddard Stadium.

Rubio and Guerrero have proven to be a prolific scoring duo throughout their careers, and the pair was back at it Thursday.

“Keegan is our backbone,” Mitalas said. “Yes, I am going to admit that. He has got great skills and everything like that, and he’s a team player.”

Keegan’s younger brother, Hayden Rubio, gave GP critical minutes, too, recording an assist to both Keegan and Guerrero.

Both teams played lock-down defense throughout the majority of the first half until Glacier Peak, in the 37th minute, found an opening in Mount Vernon’s back third.

The Grizzlies (12-3-1) struggled to create much of any offensive buildup, but all Guerrero and Keegan needed was one Mount Vernon mistake.

Guerrero made it happen with a crafty move on a Bulldogs defender to create enough space to send a perfectly-placed cross into the box. Guerrero found his big target in the elder Rubio, who calmly collected the ball and put a shot past Mount Vernon goalkeeper Amador Quiroga-Aviles from close range to give GP a 1-0 lead and a huge shot of momentum going into halftime.

Keegan Rubio followed his first goal with an absolute top-class finish in the 65th minute. Hayden played a short cross to his brother, who was awaiting the ball in the middle of the field 15 yards out from goal. Keegan turned his body, and on the volley, blasted a shot into the upper-left portion of the goal to extend the Grizzlies’ lead to 2-0.

“To score a volley like that, I’d have to say that is the goal of they year,” Mitalas said.

Keegan admitted the goal ranks among the top ones he’s ever scored and credited the goal to the fact his brother was the one passing him the ball.

The tension of a tightly contested district title game boiled over in the 72nd minute when a scuffle broke out on the far sideline following a Glacier Peak tackle. Ultimately, a Grizzlies player was sent off with a red card.

But even with a man down, Glacier Peak managed to extend its lead to 3-0 in stoppage time. Hayden Rubio played a free kick into the box, and found Guerrero streaking toward the goal. Guerrero, in one smooth motion, flicked the ball with his head and redirected it past Quiroga-Aviles to send the Grizzlies off with a convincing win.

The shutout marked just the second time all year the Bulldogs have been held scoreless. GP defenders Parker Terry, Bryce Crowder, Favi Zenteno, Mark Granados and goalkeeper Marco Guerrero played key roles in the strong defensive effort.

“We missed Favi,” Mitalas said. “He was out for a couple of weeks because of his knee, and that hurt us a bit because we had to go to a different lineup. Once we got him back, we got back to the lineup we had at the beginning of the year. It’s really helping.”

Glacier Peak will get some time off before it begins its journey to improve on last year’s third-place state finish.

“It’s a big deal,” said Guerrero of Glacier Peak reaching the state tournament. “Hopefully we can repeat what we did last year and hopefully do better.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Shorewood junior Ellie Van Horn winds up to deliver a pitch in the Stormrays' 12-0 win against Shorecrest in Shoreline, Washington on April 28, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Shorewood softball shows growth against crosstown rival Shorecrest

The Stormrays gear up for Wesco South gauntlet with a 12-0 win against the Scots.

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for April 20-26

The Athlete of the Week nominees for April 20-26. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Snohomish’s Morgan Gibson returns the ball in her match against Stanwood’s Ryann Reep on Friday, April 12, 2024 in Snohomish, Washington. Gibson lost the first set 4-6 but rallied back to win 6-2 in the second and 6-0 in the third. The Panthers bested the Spartans 5-2. (Taras McCurdie / The Herald)
Prep girls tennis roundup for Monday, April 28

Snohomish clinches fourth straight league title.

Jackson’s Allie Thomsen (22) celebrates a homerun during a prep softball game between Stanwood and Jackson at Henry M. Jackson High School on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. Jackson won, 6-0. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Prep softball roundup for Monday, April 28

Allie Thomsen homers twice, strikes out nine in Jackson’s shutout win.

Seattle offensive lineman Charles Cross (67) looks on before the Seahawks take the field to face the Arizona Cardinals in an NFL game on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, at Lumen Field in Seattle. (Naji Saker / Tribune News Services)
Seahawks picking up 5th-year option on Charles Cross

The Seahawks have bought themselves a minimum of one more year with… Continue reading

Edmonds-Woodway pitcher William Alseth winds up on the mound against Lynnwood during an April 28, 2025 league game at Edmonds-Woodway H.S. (Courtesy of Jennifer Eklund)
Prep baseball roundup for Monday, April 28

Alseth throws run-rule perfect game for Edmonds-Woodway.

Prep roundup for Monday, April 28

Archbishop Murphy boys soccer overcomes Alex Plumis’ brace.

South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft. (Dwayne McLemore / The State / Tribune News Services)
Seahawks draft class looks strong

The Seahawks had their most invigorating weekend in a long while. They… Continue reading

Marysville-Getchell senior Abdala Hassani dribbles upfield before scoring his first of two goals in the Chargers' 2-0 win against Snohomish in Marysville, Washington on April 25, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Abdala Hassani scores twice for Marysville-Getchell boys soccer

Laith Al-Bahathly gets shutout in first varsity start, a 2-0 win against Snohomish.

Tai Peete of the Everett AquaSox bats at Funko Field. (Photo courtesy of Evan Morud, Everett AquaSox)
AquaSox fall in 10th, split series with Vancouver

The Everett AquaSox settled for a split of their series against the… Continue reading

Prep roundup for Friday, April 25

GP sprinters win, area hammer throwers dominate at Eason.

Washington Wolfpack's Ledarian McAllister reaches up to try and make a catch in the end zone during the game against the Nashville Kats on Thursday, April 17, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Washington Wolfpack hold on for AF1 win at Oregon

The Washington Wolfpack built a big lead, then held… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.