SHORELINE — During a 31-game winning streak, you’re bound to catch a few breaks.
Western Conference South Division leader Shorecrest kept its foot on the gas pedal late in the game and came up with the game-winning goal after 77 minutes of scoreless soccer against Glacier Peak Tuesday night at Shoreline Stadium.
Senior defender Erik Bracht sent a searching ball into the box from the right sideline that eluded two players and found the foot of Shorecrest senior Eli Blauser, who calmly slotted the game-winner past the outstretched arms of a diving Andrew Weakley for a 1-0 win — the Scots 32nd in a row dating back to last season.
Blauser, who battled for possession as Shorecrest’s left-side attacking option for much of the game, found himself with enough space to put home the 78th minute strike.
“I was just waiting at the far post,” said Blauser, whose goal was tipped by Weakley, but not strongly enough to keep it out of the net. “It just missed two people and bounced right to me so I just took my opportunity to finish it.”
Weakley, Glacier Peak’s goalkeeper, played strong in goal, punching numerous Shorecrest corner kicks out of the area and coming up with a finger-tip stop on a streaking Glenn Paden in the 23rd minute.
“He said it (Blauser’s shot) just went over his fingers,” Glacier Peak head coach Shannon Murray said. “He (Weakley) gives our back-line a lot of confidence. We worked on defending their set pieces — which they’re extremely good at — and for the most part we did a good job at it.”
Shorecrest (6-0-0 league, 13-0-0 overall) failed to convert any of its game-high 10 corner kicks but also benefited from a friendly crossbar when Glacier Peak’s David Linney sent a 30-yard chip shot over an out-of-position Eric Baker in Shorecrest’s goal. Baker backpedaled as Linney’s deftly struck ball smacked the crossbar in the 46th minute.
“Coming into it we knew it was going to be a battle, but we just played together and fought through it,” Blauser said, adding that for as often as the Scots practice their set pieces, the team tried to put the inefficiency out of their minds. “It got a little frustrating, but we just stuck to it and didn’t let it get to us.”
Weakley wasn’t the only keeper coming up with big stops. Baker parried a Glacier Peak (4-2-0, 9-4-0) shot into the middle of the box in the 26th minute and came up with a tremendous reaction save on a rebound shot by Grizzlies senior Jackson Miller.
“He’s a clutch goalkeeper,” Blauser said of his teammate Baker.
The Scots, the defending class 3A state champions, showed their pedigree late in the game by keeping the pressure on and eventually scoring the game-winner two minutes before overtime.
“They’re the state champs and they showed in the last couple minutes they dug a goal out when they needed one,” Murray said. “… A bounce here or there it might be a different game. … We put one of those away maybe it’s a little different, but I think we leave going away thinking we can play with these guys. If anything, the game gives us some confidence.
“If we can get another shot at them down the road, I think we have some confidence.”
Blauser’s ninth goal of the season came at a fortuitous time for the Scots, who haven’t lost since Shorewood earned a 1-0 decision over Shorecrest on March 25, 2009. Baker earned his 11th shutout of the season and Shorecrest gave itself a little bit of a cushion at the top of the league standings.
“I thought we had a lot more pressure at the end and were getting opportunities,” Shorecrest head coach Drew Thompson said. “It felt like it was going to come, I’m just glad it was in regulation.”
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