Cheney heads on to state semis
The game of soccer has gone to Amanda Swenson’s head and Cheney’s girls soccer team is headed to the State 2A semifinals as a result.
The Blackhawks beat the host West Valley Eagles 4-0 Friday afternoon, breaking open the contest with three goals in the second half. It was their second straight state 4-0 victory on the road.
“Last year I said our goal (in the Greater Spokane League) was to win district and we accomplished that,” said Blackhawks coach Marisa Sheldon. “This year I anticipated we would dominate the league and would be where we are today.”
Cheney and West Valley battled to a scoreless stalemate for nearly the entire first half of their quarterfinal match.
Then, at the 39th minute, Kaitlyn Proctor weaved her way along the baseline past WV defenders, lobbed a soft pass in front of the net where Swenson converted the header goal to break the deadlock.
“I outmaneuvered them, got a toe on it and really didn’t hit it that hard,” said Proctor of the first of two assists.
“Just like last game, it went straight to my head,” Swenson said.
That was the first leak in the Eagles’ defense. Beginning 12 minutes into the second half, it burst. Cheney’s quickness and ball movement began to wear on the hosts.
“I’m from Brazil and that’s the game of soccer,” said Sheldon. “You move the ball, knock it around and look for the breaks.”
Swenson was involved in the second goal, too, with a run down the right side of the field. She booted what was supposed to be a cross back to the middle. The ball was stopped by Eagles goalkeeper Karina Carpenter, but it rolled away from her hands just far enough for freshman Kellie Zakrzewski to beat her to it with a slide and direct the ball into the right side of the goal.
“Amanda was involved in every goal we made today,” said Sheldon. “She’s only 5-foot-1, but has scored on a header on three of our last eight goals. That’s being in the right place at the right time.”
Five minutes later, Molly McClure converted a hard kick by Proctor to make it 3-0. Proctor had left the match in the first half after the initial goal after getting hit in the thigh. She had just re-entered the contest.
“I think it was just adrenaline,” she said of the scalding boot, “nothing else.”
The final goal came at 63 minutes on Alyshia Madison’s penalty kick. The victory was Cheney’s fourth in five matches against WV.
The 4A/3A/2A state semifinals are all at Harry Lang Stadium, Friday and next Saturday in Lakewood. The high-scoring Blackhawks (17-3-1 with 92 goals scored) have nine veterans from their GSL years, four of them, including Swenson, are fourth-year varsity players.
“I didn’t think we would make it this far,” Swenson said. “It’s my senior year. The timing is perfect.”
Boys soccer
Jared Friedly had a goal and an assist to lead Northwest Christian past St. George’s 3-0 in the first round of the State 1B/2B tournament at Gonzaga Prep. The Crusaders (8-3-1), who held the Dragons (11-4-4) to just one shot on goal, will advance to play today’s winner between Evergreen Lutheran and Moses Lake Christian in the semifinals Friday at Curtis High School.