Cheney makes State 2A final after shootout victory

SUMNER, Wash. – Archbishop Murphy had surrendered just two goals in the 20 previous combined matches.

Cheney’s Micah Weller needed just 70 minutes to equal that mark.

The Blackhawks continued to flex their offensive muscle, getting a third goal from Forester Seipp in the 75th minute.

But they still needed more to put away the Wildcats.

They got it.

Goalkeeper Joe Scott turned into a wall during a shootout, turning away all three shots he faced to power Cheney to a 4-3 (3-0 shootout) victory over previously undefeated Archbishop Murphy in the State 2A boys soccer semifinals Friday at Sunset Chev Stadium.

“We’re only half way there,” Scott said. “We have a big opportunity tomorrow. If we play like we did in the second half today, I like our chances.”

The win advances the Blackhawks to the state championship match for the fourth time over the last five years.

Cheney (20-0) will square off against Fife (20-0) at 4 p.m.

The Blackhawks were state runners-up in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Fife defeated the previously unbeaten Tumwater Thunderbirds 2-0 in the semifinals.

Trailing 2-1, Cheney tied it up on Weller’s second goal in the 70th minute, then got the go-ahead goal in the 75th minute after Trevan Estrellado served up a perfect pass directly in front of the net, which Seipp headed in.

Archbishop Murphy sent it into overtime on Tyler Ptacek’s goal with 44 seconds remaining in regulation, which tied the match at 3.

Two scoreless overtimes followed before it went to a shootout.

The Wildcats (20-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead on Aidan Huggins’ goal in the sixth minute.

Cheney needed 2 minutes to find the equalizer.

Daniel Bogaert’s shot from 25 yards out sailed inches above the outstretched fingertips of goalkeeper Jordan Trinka before bouncing off the crossbar, falling at the feet of Weller, who tapped it in to even the match at 1.

The Wildcats added a Nick Ulowetz goal in the 29th minute to take a 2-1 lead at the intermission.