Blackhawks return home with third straight runner-up trophy
By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
Next year.
It's a refrain beginning to wear on Cheney boys' soccer players, coaches and fans alike. For the third straight season the Blackhawks advanced to the 2A state championship game and for the third straight season they came up short of the title, this time a 1-0 loss to the Bellingham Red Raiders – a team Cheney eliminated from the 2009 state quarterfinals on a last minute goal.
Many felt this year's Cheney team was more talented, but they were also younger, especially defensively where first-year head coach Mark Kiver had to replace all four starters. But the Blackhawks grew into their roles, led by the expertise of senior goalkeeper Andrew Wilson, posting 12 shutouts in their 18 wins, including three in the post season against tough opponents.
That looked to continue in the title game Saturday at Sunset-Chevrolet Stadium in Sumner. Cheney was sluggish offensively in the first half, but defensively played bend-but-don't-break to perfection, successfully clearing Red Raider threats and keeping most shots to rollers Wilson easily handled.
Bellingham had a couple of good looks however, with one shot in the 14th minute curving just high and to the right of the goal, and another from straight on and about 10 yards out being kicked so hard by the Red Raider player that it easily cleared the crossbar and almost went over the roof of Sumner High.
Cheney's offense finally found a way to get the ball past Bellingham's defenders, getting a late flurry of shots, including three corner kicks, in the half's final seven minutes. The Blackhawks kept that momentum in the first 10 minutes of the second half, putting pressure on the Bellingham defense with several shots on goal.
But the Red Raiders were an experienced team, nine seniors compared to Cheney's four, and their defense held, igniting a run in the 52nd minute where senior forward Matt Schmidt floated a precise pass from near the right sideline to left of goal just outside the 6-yard box. A breakdown in Cheney's midfield defense left midfielder Tristan Bosman unmarked, and the senior headed a shot just to the left of a diving Wilson for the score.
Cheney had several scoring chances late, including a straight on shot from about 12 yards by senior midfielder Daniel Igbinoba in the 67th minute that went just high, and a slowly bouncing ball to the left of goal that Red Raiders' goalkeeper Auden Shider covered just ahead of a sprinting CJ Skillingstad in the 77th minute.
“We knew what we were going to come up against,” an emotional Kiver said after the game. “I thought the guys did phenomenal defensively.”
Bellingham out shot Cheney 15-8. Kiver said the Red Raiders had incentive to avenge last year's loss, but felt the biggest difference was the officiating style. The game was physical, at points turning into a collision sport similar to American football.
Both teams experienced injuries, with the Blackhawks losing starting defender Dimitriy Topov to an ankle sprain from a collision in the game's 24th minute, and Bellingham's Scott Rader leaving with a cut forehead after colliding with Xavier Daniel in the second half. Rader eventually returned with a bandage wrapped around his head.
“You've got to play the game (of soccer) a little bit,” Kiver said, adding he understood the need to maintain flow. “I don't think they (Bellingham) wanted to play a game like that.”
But Kiver added the Red Raiders are a skilled team who played the game well.
“We didn't pressure the ball enough,” Kiver said of the goal. “We needed to mark 11 a little closer, and he played a great chip to the far post.”
The Blackhawks knocked off Toppenish on Friday night to advance to the title game, getting a pair of Austin Walker goals to down the Wildcats 2-0. Cheney started slow offensively and relied on its defense to build momentum, getting a big, leaping save from Wilson in the 19th minute.
The Blackhawks' gradually began breaking through, getting good shots on goal in the 25th and 32nd minutes that were stopped by Wildcats keeper Leo Fuentes. But in the 38th minute Walker possessed a pass from Skillingstad, dribbled close to the right post, crossed left and left-footed a goal into the left side of the net.
“The coaches said there were chances from the side if we worked towards the end line,” Walker said. “I was able to set up my left foot and nailed it.”
Cheney had several looks early in the second half, and after another Wilson save in the 57th minute, mounted an attacking run where Day floated a long left to right crossing shot to a streaking Walker who pushed the ball past Fuentes for the score.
“My teammates just set me up,” Walker said.
Cheney out shot Toppenish 15-14, with Wilson making nine saves.
Cheney finishes with an 18-4 record. Kiver said the loss hurt, especially for Cheney's four seniors: Wilson, Walker, Igbinoba and Alex Adams. All have been part of the previous two trips to state, and knew what it took to pull off a title-game win.
Kiver's emotions wouldn't let him finish talking after the game Saturday, joining his huddled players on the sidelines in a Cheney soccer tradition of passing senior leadership and direction to the underclassmen – which will consist of a talented group of experienced juniors, sophomores and freshmen, along with some up and coming talent – for next year.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)