U-14 Boys Final

Federal Way Storm 4 - Emerald City 1

This games started out strong for Storm, with crisp passing and changing the attack from side to side. The first 8 minutes were pretty much all Storm, with Emerald City clearing balls out of the back. Storm finally got their first goal off of some beautiful combination work. A ball was played into Zach Sampson, who calmly flicked it wide down the line into the path of Charlie Piehler who sent a hard driven cross into the box. Gavin Richter then hammered the cross on goal, but the Emerald City GK Powell Bagdon came up big blocking it. The ball deflected out to Storm player Shane Gutierrez who slammed the rebound home for a Storm 1-0 lead.

After Emerald City sent a few more balls forward to Jonathan Castro-Diego up front. Storm stole a ball and from the 50 yard line Gavin Richter drove down the sideline. heading towards the top left side of the 18 yard box. Richter calmly split two defenders and hit an absolute bullet far post upper V for a 2-0 Storm lead. Storm minutes later had another chance when Charlie Piehler drove down the line hit a cross into Zach Sampson who redirected it on goal, only to have the GK Powell Bagdon make a nice diving save.

Emerald City didn't fold though and at times Jonathan Castro-Diego was menace to the Storm backline. Off of a long ball Castro-Diego got into the box and had a nice cut back to get past the defender and hit a hard shot that GK Alexander Ferguson saved. Then a few minute later off of a corner Emerald City got a rebound and Ruanni Franco hit it hard towards the goal, where Catro-Diego redirected it with his head near post for a goal. Putting the game within reach at 2-1 in favor of Storm. The fact Diego-Catro reacted so quickly to head it in was amazing. He seemed to always get a crowd of defenders around him and at times was still very effective for Emerald City.

The teams went to half at 2-1, but Storm had played a pretty dominate half. Emerald City though still had the game within striking distance, which had to be a great feeling for them.

The second half started looking much like the first with Storm controlling much of the play. Then on what may have been the strangest goal of State Cup that I've seen Storms Tyson Sykes hits a ball 45 yards in the air at the Emerald City goal. You could tell when he hit it that it had the distance for sure and it caught the Emerald City GK Powell Bagdon off guard. It ended up in the back of the net for a 3-1 lead for Storm and had to be the longest shot of this State Cup for a goal.....amazing.

Emerald City did not give up and Jonathan Castro-Diego looked to get his second goal. Castro-Diego took a ball and dribbled hard at defense simply using a burst to blow by the defender and then cracking a hard shot near post that GK Alexander Ferguson made a special save on. Ferguson seemed to rarely be fooled in the game, and you could hear and see him all game directing his defenders from his goal area.

The rest of the game from then on seemed to be Storm. Late in the half they got their fourth goal when Gavin Richter drove into the box on the left edge and hit a low driven cross on the ground. Perfectly placed and Luke Angevine had a tap in for a 4-1 lead. The rest of the match Storm just basically kept the ball and knocked it around while the clock ran out. This was the first time I'd seen Federal Way Storm play, and they were truly impressive.

U-14 Girls Final

ESA Stars 1 - FC Royals 0

This was definitely a game of very equally mathced teams and much of the first half seemed like neither would score and we'd head to PK's. It seemed to go back and forth in the first half, neither really keeping the ball for more than 3 to 4 passes.

Evergreen started the chances though, with a fine ball sent over the top from Darby Kurtti to Ashley Tombelaine. Tombelaine hit a shot that sailed over the goal, but a decent chance in a half with few for either team.

A bit later the Royals had their first real attempt on goal with a shot from distance that Jordan Ihlen hit high and way over the goal. From here the Royals and Evergreen continued their battle in the middle portion of the field. Both teams not giving an inch near their 18 yard box.

Evergreen had their best chance at a goal when Suzanne Olsen played a ball out wide to Tombelaine who served a perfect cross into the box that Melanie Bjornethun headed just wide. The build up and cross were perfect and the header was near perfect, just a bit unlucky.

The Royals closed the half in a flurry. Royals Natalia Daniels had a nice chance on a slotted ball, but the Evergreen keeper was up to the challenge making an exceptional save. Minutes later the Royals had another great chance when Chelsea Jennings hit Daniels with a pass. Daniels hit a nice low and hard shot, but again the Evergreen keeper was up to task. Sending the two teams to half at 0-0.

The second half started and Evergreen seemed to be getting more of the play. Evergreen had a solid 10 minute span of pressure and chances. To start the action Tombelaine played a ball to Taryn Wright who hit a nice cross to Suzanne Olsen. Olsen hit it just over the goal. Then Evergreen had Darby Kurtti break loose and crack a shot that ended up hitting a defender. Minutes later Tombelaine had a rare chance in the Royals box, but her shot sailed over the top.

The Royals best attempt in the second half came when Alyssa Andrews got in on the Evergreen keeper who dove and forced Andrews touch a bit wide. Andrews did the smart thing and because of the angle hit a hard ball on the ground a foot off the face of the goal line. The ball went from one side of the 18 clear across the open goal to the other side untouched. It's was a nice play by Andrews, but she had no teammates crashing in for the tap in.

With minutes left in the game Evergreen struck for the game winner. Ashley Tombelaine had a nice effort and got in on the right side sending a ball towards the goal that to Melanie Bjornethun touched to Jessica Van Loo who hammered home for the win and an Evergreen Soccer Academy State Championship.

WPS Staff