MOUNT VERNON – It took Sultan an entire half to warm up, but the Turks weren’t about to let their dream slip away.
“Our goal is to have a 22-and-oh season,” said Sultan coach Mark Raney, whose undefeated, top-seeded Turks overcame an unusually sluggish start before stopping Blaine 2-0 Thursday in a winner-to-state Class 2A District One boys soccer tournament game at Mount Vernon High School.
No. 1 seed Sultan (17-0) ensured its third consecutive trip to state. The Turks play Lakewood for the district championship at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mount Vernon H.S.
Senior forward Andy Morrell scored the game-winner 25 seconds into the second half during a scramble near the left edge of Blaine’s goalie box. Morrell, assisted by Thomas Nichols, calmly sent a hard shot into the right corner of the net.
“I was pretty confident that I’d put it home,” Morrell said.
Forward Brayton Knapp scored the Turks’ second goal on a free kick from just outside the penalty box in the 17th minute of the second half.
The Turks, who placed second at the state tournament last year, had outscored opponents 76-10 this season, including a combined 11-1 in two regular-season victories against Blaine (8-10). But Thursday’s game was a much different story as Sultan’s offense, which averages nearly five goals per outing, fizzled early. The Turks generated just five first-half shots and found themselves locked in a 0-0 tie.
“They just played with all of their heart,” Raney said of Blaine’s first-half effort. “They were firing on all cylinders.”
But when the second half started, Sultan erupted with startling intensity, racking up four shots in the first two minutes, 10 seconds. Suddenly the Turks’ passes were crisp, their sprints were more determined and they looked once again like a team that could run the table to a state title.
During the halftime break, Raney said he talked about keeping the ball outside and using crossing passes to set up better scoring chances. Morrell’s scoring play summed up the strategy to perfection.
Sultan piled up 18 second-half shots, compared to Blaine’s three.
The Turks defeated Lakewood twice this season, winning 3-0 both times.
At Mount Vernon
Goals-Sultan: Morrell, Knapp. Goalkeepers-Blaine: Dugger. Sultan: Nelson. Records-Blaine 8-10. Sultan 17-0.
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