Cheney comes up short, will play for third

LAKEWOOD – For one half Friday, the Cheney girls soccer team proved it belonged on the same field with undefeated Cedarcrest of Duvall.

That was before Red Wolves senior captain Amanda Johnson decided she had had enough of playing for third place, where Cedarcrest placed both in 2005 and 2003 when it was still a 3A school.

Johnson, who has orally committed to play soccer at Seattle Pacific University next year, netted her 40th goal of the season with a booming line drive in the 58th minute to snap a 1-1 tie and help lead Cedarcrest (22-0) into the title game of the State 2A tournament with a 3-1 semifinal win over Cheney at Harry E. Lang Stadium.

“She took over,” said Cheney assistant coach Robyn Smith. “She gave them the lead, got them pumped up, and they came out aggressively.”

At one point, Johnson took on five Cheney defenders during a breakaway in the second half. The determined senior scored a few minutes later, however, with her go-ahead goal getting past stumbling Cheney keeper Amy Knox.

“Sometimes when I get really, really mad, I get tunnel vision,” Johnson said. “I feel if we’re not stepping it up, I play as hard as I can to help my teammates rise up to that level, too.”

It worked. The goal pumped new life into Cedarcrest, which outshot Cheney 21-2 and kept the Blackhawks backpedaling for most of the second half.

Rachael Kevin solidified the victory for Cedarcrest with a header past Knox – off a rebound just inches from the far post – with 8 minutes left in regulation.

Smith said inexperience and having to play on their heels for most of the game caught up to the Blackhawks (16-4-1), who were making their first state tournament appearance in three seasons.

“We were dropping off and some of that had to do with condition, some of it with nerves,” she said. “And they probably wanted it a little bit more.”

It didn’t appear that way in the first half when Cheney sophomore Molly McClure tied it at 1 in the 24th minute off a beautiful crossing pass from Amanda Swenson.

After sprinting alone down the right sideline, Swenson located the breaking McClure, who got caught up in traffic as Swenson’s pass approached. But McClure stayed with it, fighting off the keeper and a defender to get off the shot.

“Amanda crossed it and she was running really hard and then (Kaitlyn) Proctor just shoved herself in front of the goal and I was just there to poke it in,” McClure said.

Smith, speaking for head coach Marisa Sheldon, who made the trip but is still recovering from neck surgery, said the goal was a result of great teamwork.

“All season we’ve been trying to play that ball outside. They had those two stoppers, and we showed our youth trying to force it down the middle,” she said. “Amanda did great on the cross and Molly put the ball away.

“Unfortunately, we just couldn’t get it going in the second half.”

Erin Kearney put Cedarcrest ahead 1-0 with a shot off a soft crossing pass from Johnson 7 minutes into the game. Johnson, who sneaked behind the Cheney back row after a stolen throw-in, juked one defender, dribbled toward the post, then found Kearney storming in from the 10-yard line.

The Blackhawks face 2005 State 2A champion Eatonville for third place today.

“We played a heck of a game,” Smith said. “Though I believe we could be in that championship game, they can walk away with their heads up. Third place is still big, and that trophy will mean everything.”