By DAN SARGENT
Herald Writer
RENTON – The Snohomish County Christian Lions scored a tying goal in the last 30 seconds only to give up a heartbreaking goal with 14 seconds left in the game as University Prep claimed a 3-2 victory in the Class A/B boys soccer state quarterfinal game Saturday at Renton Stadium.
Snohomish County Christian’s Hyeon Soo Lee scored a goal in 79th minute off a cross from David Peterson. That goal seemed to have the game headed for overtime with the score tied 2-2.
But the Pumas struck back in just 16 seconds when Danny Kaufman lobbed a shot into the goal to drop the hearts out of the Lions’ hopes.
The Lions came out poised and ready to go and they had the upperhand early in the game, taking six shots on goal.
In the 15th minute the Lions had a golden opportunity to score a breakaway goal when Lee just missed the net to the left as Lions coach Troy Hooper fell to the ground in disbelief.
The Pumas took advantage of the moment and scored a minute later, when Graham Mills put the ball into the back of the net off a deflection off SCC goalie Zach Kehres.
The Lions answered in the 20th minute, when David Farrar chipped the ball to Lee, who headed it back to David Peterson, who half-volleyed the ball into the net from 25 yards out to even the score 1-1 going into halftime.
The Pumas added a goal in the 50th minute by Wyatt Nelson, who beat his defender and drove the ball passed Kehres to give University Prep a 2-1 lead.
Lee made chance after chance for himself with a lot of effort, but just could not put one into the net for Lions.
Lee, mifielder Peterson and defender David Castor were the seniors on the team that led the Lions to the state playoffs this year.
“We had great leadership from all three of them,” Hooper said of his seniors, “they will be missed next year.”
“I got the team I wanted this year and we got this far, we should be very solid for next year,” Hooper said.
The Lions should return all seven of their juniors next year and have a strong team to contend for another state berth.
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