Marysville Pilchuck suffers 5-1 loss to defending champs Eastlake

MARYSVILLE — This is usually what happens when the defending state champions come to town.

Marysville Pilchuck’s boys soccer team welcomed Eastlake — winners of the 2011 4A state crown — to Quil Ceda Stadium Tuesday night and the Wolves weren’t very gracious guests, thrashing the Tomahawks 5-1 in their season opener.

Marysville Pilchuck’s first-year boys coach Paul Bartley, who also coaches the girls team, was certainly impressed with Eastlake after the teams walked off the field at the end of the chilly March night. His own team, however might be tougher to read.

“We have a lot of stuff to work on,” Bartley said. “I’m not panicking about anything.”

The Tomahawks, who were missing a handful of players that were ineligible due to a lack of sufficient practice time, looked aggressive for the first few minutes, but that changed quickly when Eastlake got on the board.

After an early MP chance in the Wolves box, Eastlake raced down the field on the counterattack. With the Tomahawks defense in retreat, Eastlake chipped into the middle of the 18-yard box where midfielder Madison Heck was all alone, waiting with a soft header. MP Keeper Ian Beegle charged Heck on the play but was helpless to stop the floating shot that sailed gently over his head and into the home team’s goal.

Heck, who netted two goals and an assist on the night, was the lone varsity returnee from the Wolves team a year ago that graduated 12 seniors. Eastlake this year lost five players that would have been on this year’s team to the Sounders Academy, which wouldn’t allow them to play the high-school season. Losing top talent to the Academy is a common issue for some of the best teams in the area.

MP’s Anthony Johnson is an example of a player that declined to play for the Academy and will play the high school season this year. The senior forward scored the Tommies lone goal late in the game Tuesday to prevent a shutout by Wolves keeper TJ Buford. Gavin McDougall assisted Johnson.

Bartley isn’t concerned about his first-team all-Wesco North returning forward, who is usually the fastest player on the field regardless of the opponent. Bartley is still seeking the second-option for the MP attack.

“He’s a solid player,” Bartley said of Johnson. “He just needs somebody to run with him. Hopefully that will happen on Friday.”

On Friday MP opens the league season, hosting Wesco opponent Monroe and will get some much needed practice time to get the rest of the team eligible.

“With the people we bring back hopefully by Friday that will make a difference hopefully in how we play,” Bartley said.

Tuesday was a rough day for Beegle, who allowed all five goals. Sophomore Ryan Spiva came on midway through the second half in relief of the Tomahawk senior and kept the Wolves off the board the rest of the way.

In the 20th minute the Wolves took turns teeing off on Beegle until a shot rebounded off the keeper in front of Max Zambrowsky, who drilled a waist-high shot for a 2-0 Eastlake edge.

Four minutes later Zambrowsky corralled a cross in the middle of the box and shot a laser straight at Beegle, who caught the ball on the chest but couldn’t keep it from trickling in for a 3-0 lead.

In the 51st minute Heck struck again, netting a well-placed cross to make the score 4-0

A few minutes later Heck took a free kick from 35-yards out and Jack Bradley converted the fifth goal of the game.

For Eastlake coach Adam Gervis it was nice to see his team come together after suffering from eligibility issues in the team’s first game — a 5-3 loss at Union. But he doesn’t want to make too much of the convincing victory.

“That’s what preseason is about,” Gervis said of the nonleague game. “Preseason isn’t about wins and losses. Anyone who says that is wrong. Every single player on my bench played and that’s how it should be. They won’t play during the regular season.”

Jon Saperstein covers high school sports for The Herald, follow him on twitter @jonsap and contact him at jsaperstein@heraldnet.com.

At Marysville Pilchuck H.S.

Eastlake32—5

Marysville Pilchuck01—1

Goals—Johnson (MP) 1, Zambrowsky (E) 2, Heck (E) 2, Bradley (E) 1. Assists—Heck 1, McDougall (MP) 1. Goalkeepers—Marysville Pilchuck: Beegle, Spiva. Eastlake: Buford. Records—Eastlake 1-0 overall. Marysville Pilchuck 0-1.