Pasco boys soccer returns to 4A WA state semifinals. It’s the 2nd time in three years
For the second time in three years, Matt Potter’s Pasco Bulldogs are returning to the WIAA 4A boys state soccer semifinals, set for Friday at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.
The Bulldogs defeated Issaquah 3-0 at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco last Saturday in the state quarterfinals.
Bryan Martinez Ramirez, Julio Andrade and Daniel Zamudio each scored a goal for the Bulldogs, who then pitched another defensive shutout against Issaquah.
It was the 15th shutout that top-seeded Pasco has had in 21 games this season. The Bulldogs are 20-1.
In another state quarterfinal, Chiawana saw its season end last week, falling 1-0 at Camas. The Riverhawks finished 19-3 on the season.
Sunnyside also advanced to the state semifinals, beating Sumner 3-0. Kevin Hernandez — headed to the University of Washington to play for the men’s soccer team in the fall — Lionel Hernandez, and Damon Landaverde all scored goals for the Grizzlies,
Here is Friday’s schedule at Sparks Stadium:
Semifinal 1, Sunnyside (15-3) vs. Mount Si (15-4), Noon
Semifinal 2, Camas (18-1-2) vs. Pasco (20-1), 2:15 p.m.
Saturday, May 25
Third-place match, semifinal losers, 10 a.m.
Championship, semifinal winners, 4 p.m.
Class 1A: No. 3 seed Royal will play in the state semifinals on Friday after winning twice last weekend in the state tournament.
The Knights blanked Meridian 1-0 in a first-round game on Friday in Royal City, then beat Seton Catholic 1-0 the next day at home in the quarterfinals.
Seton Catholic took down Wahluke 3-0 on Friday in Royal City to advance to the quarters.
So now, the Knights will take on No. 2 Vashon Island in Friday’s first semifinal at 4:30 p.m. at Renton Memorial Stadium.
The other semifinal, set for 7 p.m., pouts No. 4 Overlake against top seed Cascade of Leavenworth.
The semifinal winners will meet at 6 p.m. Saturday in Renton for the state title. Friday’s semifinal losers will play for third place at 1:15 p.m. Saturday.
Track and field
The WIAA state high school track and field championships began Thursday and run through Saturday, May 25, at Mt. Tahoma High School and Yakima.
Mt. Tahoma will host the 2A, 3A and 4A meets, with the first event Thursday.
On Friday, the meet starts at 9 a.m., and Saturday’s festivities begin at 10:30 a.m.
Meanwhile, the state meet for Classes 1B, 2B and 1A are set for Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima, running Thursday through Saturday.
Friday the first event starts at 10 a.m. On the final day Saturday, the first event begins at 9:30 a.m.
Tennis
Here’s a look at Mid-Columbia’s headed to the various state tennis tournaments:
4A BOYS: Hanford and Richland have singles players, while a Kamiakin duo will compete in doubles play as the state tournament begins Friday at both Kamiakin High School and The Pacific Clinic (formerly Tri-City Court Club).
In first-round openers in singles play, Hanford’s Adam Tan takes on Ethan Chen of Newport-Bellevue; while Richland’s Matthew Morrison will battle Skyview’s Aidan Bucerzan.
Kamiakin’s Maxwell Clary and William Stratton take on Sumner’s Austin Tweit and Thomas Canion in the first round of the double tournament.
4A GIRLS: Hanford has three players competing in the 4A tournament, scheduled Friday and Saturday at Kamiakin High School and The Pacific Clinic (formerly Tri-City Court Club).
The Falcons’ Lily Deng opens singles play against Avery Fisher of Camas.
Meanwhile, Nikki Reyes and Jojo Safranski will represent Hanford in double play, and they’ll open tournament play against Union’s Lana and Kayla Saopraseuth.
3A BOYS: The Mid-Columbia Conference has two entries into the singles tournament at the Vancouver Tennis Center, which begins Friday.
Southridge’s Kyle Chan will open play against Juanita’s Arham Mefta.
Meanwhile, Walla Walla senior Ken Higgins earned a first-round bye.
3A GIRLS: Southridge’s Courtney Tran opens singles play at the Vancouver Tennis Center on Friday against Lake Washington’s Amina Avdic.
In doubles, Hermiston’s Aspen Inners and Catherine Doherty open against Seattle Prep’s Addison Smith and Maja Gowans.
2A BOYS: Othello has a doubles team entered, with Ashton Pruneda and Riley Rodriguez taking on Shelton’s Jayden Lovinfoss and William Wagner in the first round on Friday.
The tournament will be played at the Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle.
1A BOYS: Connell will have two doubles teams competing at the Yakima Tennis Center beginning Friday.
The Eagles will have Aaron Chase and Eastyn Holst compete as one team, while Uriel Lara and Reichert Specht will comprise the other team.
1A GIRLS: College Place’s Mia Ferraro is the SCAC East’s top singles player, and she gets a first-round bye in the 12-girl field when the singles play portion of the tournament begins Friday at the Yakima Tennis Center.
The doubles tournament also begins Friday in Yakima, and Royal’s Madi Christensen and Campbell Anderson (named the top girls doubles team in the SCAC) also have a first-round bye.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
