North Kitsap boys soccer's state title hopes dashed in semifinal defeat
RENTON — North Kitsap's boys soccer team had all the momentum, escaping a 2-0 hole by striking for two second-half goals against Franklin Pierce during Friday's Class 2A state title game at Renton Memorial Stadium.
The Vikings' equalizing tally came during the waning moments of injury time as senior Mason Chmielewski's header off a Harper Sabari free kick caroomed off the turf and into the upper corner of Franklin Pierce's net. It might have been the most thrilling moment of the season for the Olympic League champion Vikings, and perhaps a sign that a comeback victory was near.
Instead, overtime brought about the most crushing of blows with Franklin Pierce's Cristian Herrera-Alavez poking home the game-winning goal following a corner kick two minutes into the second five-minute extra session.
"These games happen," said North Kitsap head coach Greg St. Peter, whose team faces No. 5 East Valley of Yakima for third-place at 11 a.m. in Renton. "When you feel kind of robbed in the first half, and then you fight back..."
No. 3 seed North Kitsap (19-2) trailed 2-0 against the No. 2 Cardinals in the first half on a pair of goals the Vikings weren't happy about conceding. St. Peter felt goalkeeper Justin Anderson was fouled during the first goal in the 10th minute, and didn't agree with a "soft" penalty kick call that Franklin Pierce converted in the 20th minute.
"They took that momentum and it took us a while to slowly take over," St. Peter said.
North Kitsap dominated possession in the second half and made it 2-1 in the 58th minute on a penalty kick goal by Ethan Peck. Then after buzzing around Franklin Pierce's net late, North Kitsap knotted the game on Chmielewski's header.
"We just knew we could win the game," St. Peter said. "We knew we could come back."
In the first overtime, North Kitsap had a free kick nearly sneak inside the right post, while Franklin Pierce hit the frame on a shot from 15 yards out. Just when it appeared the game might be destined to be decided in a shootout, Herrera-Alavez found daylight among a group of bodies on a corner kick and his strike tumbled inside the left post, stunning North Kitsap.
After leading the Vikings to a second-place finish at state last season, St. Peter hoped his players had enough late-season spark to go one more step this spring. Now, third place will have to suffice.
"I felt like they deserved more," he said.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: North Kitsap boys soccer's state title hopes dashed in overtime loss
