PUYALLUP — The Snohomish Panthers’ attempt at yet another piece of high school boys soccer state history came up two games short.
Snohomish’s bid to win its third straight state championship came to an end Friday night with a 4-2 loss to the Tahoma Bears in the 4A state semifinals at Sparks Stadium.
The Panthers, two-time defending state champs, were trying to become the first team to win three consecutive state titles at any level since Mountain View ruled the large-school division from 1991-93.
But Snohomish’s dreams were dashed as Tahoma’s Robby Guyer scored a hat trick, including a goal less than 90 seconds into the contest, and Cris Garfias also scored for the Bears.
Jason Fairhurst scored both goals for Snohomish during a frantic final five minutes that saw both teams find the net twice.
Tahoma (18-4-0) plays Wenatchee for the championship Saturday.
Snohomish (16-2-4) faces Central Valley in the third-place game at noon Saturday at Sparks Stadium.
The spectators had barely settled into their seats following the national anthem when the Panthers found themselves behind. The Bears received an early corner kick, which Charlie Wilcox rolled into the near part of the penalty box. Guyer got to it and hit a low shot that somehow eluded a mess of traffic and snuck past Snohomish goalkeeper Cameron Beardsley to give Tahoma an immediate 1-0 lead.
The Bears continued to be dangerous, with Garfias causing the Snohomish defense all kinds of headaches with his speed and skill. He forced Beardsley to make a pair of good saves to keep it a one-goal game. In between those chances, Tahoma’s Kasey Cowell had a volley from a corner smash into the side of the net, causing the Bears fans to erupt in celebration thinking he’d scored.
But it was hardly one-way traffic as the Panthers also had their share of chances during a free-flowing first half. Eric Jones put several free kicks into dangerous areas, only for nothing to come from them. Thomas McKeown had a header from a corner glance wide, Logan Stapleton had a shot saved by Tahoma goalkeeper Collin Gage, and Fairhurst had a shot from 25 yards whistle just over the crossbar.
The chances continued to come fast and furious at both ends in the second half. Garfias blazed over on a chance from in close, and another Jones free kick created all kinds of havoc in front of the Tahoma goal, with the defense having to block two efforts from point blank.
Then the Bears found the second goal in the 58th minute. Tahoma broke quickly, and eventually Peyton Trask was hauled down in the penalty box. Garfias thumped home the resulting penalty kick, giving the Bears a two-goal cushion.
Despite trailing by two the Panthers continued to press. Fairhurst’s bicycle kick two minutes later drew a diving save from Gage. Then Snohomish threw everything it had at the Bears over the final 20 minutes, with the ball remaining largely on Tahoma’s half of the field. But for all of the Panthers’ scrap and hustle, they couldn’t break down the Bears’ defense, and Guyer scored on a breakaway in the 76th minute to seemingly end it.
But that only started the final flurry as Snohomish refused to quit. Fairhurst powered home a shot 60 seconds later to get the Panthers on the board, Guyer scored on another breakaway in the 80th minute, and Fairhurst found the net again with virtually the last kick of the game.
At Sparks Stadium
Goals—Robby Guyer (T) 3, Cris Garfias (T), Jason Fairhurst (S) 2. Records—Tahoma 18-4-0, Snohomish 16-2-4.
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