SNOHOMISH — The Glacier Peak Grizzlies huffed and puffed and finally overcame their two-goal deficit.
But ultimately that just made the nature of their loss to the Auburn Riverside Ravens all the more painful.
Auburn Riverside scored the deciding goal with just two minutes remaining, delivering a stunning 3-2 knockout to Glacier Peak in the quarterfinals of the 3A state boys soccer tournament Saturday afternoon at Snohomish High School.
The Grizzlies, trailing 2-0 at halftime, climbed all the way back when Alex Bergstrom scored the tying goal with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation.
But just when it seemed like Glacier Peak was on its way to writing a memorable comeback story, the Ravens delivered a hammer blow. With time winding down Auburn Riverside went on the break and sent a cross into the Grizzlies penalty box. With no Ravens in the vicinity, Glacier Peak goalie Sahm Noorfeshan collided with a teammate going for the cross. The ball squirted away to Auburn Riverside’s Jakob Middlebrooks at the edge of the penalty box, and the freshman turned and put a shot past the scrambling Grizzlies and into the far corner to win it for the Ravens.
“They are by far the hardest working team we’ve played against all year long,” Glacier Peak coach Kyle Veach said. “That pressure put us in some difficult places in the first half, and we gave up two goals that are very uncharacteristic of our team. But the boys are resilient, we knew we would fight back and that there would be life in us. They fought and worked hard and took back two great goals. To give up a scrappy goal at the end, give a lot of credit to Auburn Riverside. It doesn’t matter how you score, it just matters if you score more than the other team.”
Jordan Loomans and Dale Galaviz also scored for Auburn Riverside (16-4-1), which advanced to face Interlake in the state semifinals Friday at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.
“You’re never safe with a 2-0 lead,” Auburn Riverside coach Robun Saarenas said. “They put on the pressure after halftime and we expected it, we just didn’t manage it very well. But one thing we’ve always known for this year is we’ve never gotten flustered when things don’t go our way. Today we kept our heads level and showed a lot of heart at the end of the game. I think we turned it back on again when we realized we still had time left and the game wasn’t over.”
Riley Prescott scored the other goal for Glacier Peak, which saw its season end at 16-4-1.
“The season was fantastic,” Veach said. “We’re proud of getting to the quarterfinals. But everybody on this team knows we could have gone further and probably should have. But that’s why you have to show up and play for 80 minutes, not just 40.”
Glacier Peak seemed down and out at halftime, trailing 2-0. But the Grizzlies kept faith with their midfield possession game, and it eventually led to a comeback.
It began in the 48th minute. Cage Roberge dinked a pass over the top. Prescott accelerated past two defenders to win the ball, rounded Auburn Riverside goalkeeper Andy Starkle and rolled the ball into the net to cut the deficit to 2-1 and get the Grizzlies back in the game.
Glacier Peak then tied it with eight minutes remaining. Persistence by Prescott on the left got the ball to Devon Potts. Potts then centered a pass to Bergstrom, whose shot got under Starkle to knot it at 2-2.
But just when the game appeared to be Glacier Peak’s for the taking, Middlebrooks spoiled the fairytale ending. Then in the dying seconds Prescott had one last chance to tie it again when the ball found its way past everyone to him in front. But Starkle made a huge point-blank stop to save it for the Ravens.
“I think we definitely were the better side and showed that for long periods of time,” Veach said. “I think that’s the hardest pill to swallow, we lost to a team that maybe we’d still view we’re better than. I think if we play 10 times we win nine of them, but all that matters is this one.”
Glacier Peak has some possession early in the contest, but was unable to work its way through an organized Auburn Riverside defense. Then the Ravens struck in an instant to take the lead in the 18th minute. Corey Brinkman sent a long ball over the top, and although Loomans won the race to the ball on the right, he seemed in no position to score. However, Loomans tried an audacious lob shot that went over a stranded Noorfeshan and just dropped into the far corner to give Auburn Riverside a 1-0 lead.
Glacier Peak continued to possess, with Wyatt Miller drawing a diving save from Starkle on a volley from a cross. But it was Auburn Riverside that found the net again in the 36th minute. The Ravens sent a long free kick into the Grizzlies penalty box, with the ball pinballing around. It found its way to Marcos Coria on the left, who didn’t get all of his shot. However, the ball went right to Galaviz, who squeezed a shot inside the near post to make it 2-0.
Auburn Riverside had chances to put the game away right at the start of the second half, but Grizzlies defender Spencer Pettit cleared Trent Miller’s shot off the line, and Miller later hoofed a shot from a good position well over. That set up the dramatic finish.
At Snohomish H.S.
Goals—Jordan Loomans (AR), Dale Galaviz (AR) Riley Prescott (GP), Alex Bergstrom (GP), Jakob Middlebrooks (AR). Assists—Corey Brinkman (AR). Marcos Coria (AR), Cage Roberge (GP). Goalkeepers—Auburn-Riverside: Andy Starkle. Glacier Peak: Sahm Noorfeshan. Records—Auburn Riverside 16-4-1, Glacier Peak 16-4-1.
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