Things were chippy between Central Kitsap and Silas in the Class 3A District 3/4 boys soccer championship game on Thursday night at Auburn High School.
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It was intense, back-and-forth action all game, but when the dust settled after two overtime periods, the game remained scoreless.
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When it went to a penalty kick shootout, the first save ended up being the difference. Silas star center back Ethan Kelly stepped up to take his shot and Central Kitsap keeper Carson LeBeau guessed correctly, diving left and swatting the shot away with his outstretched arms.
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LeBeau’s teammates took care of the rest, sinking all five of their attempts to clinch the district championship.
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“All I had to do was save one,” LeBeau said. “It was good to get the first one.”
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Indeed it was. And it took the pressure off both LeBeau and the Cougars’ shot takers, who were flawless in their execution.
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“I definitely think it’s vibes,” said LeBeau.
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That’s a good thing, for those not acclimated with Gen Z slang.
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Silas controlled most of the possession in the second half, but never scored and didn’t manage many clean looks at goal, thanks in large part to a talented Central Kitsap back line and an active midfield.
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“Effort, I think,” LeBeau said was the difference. “We have an athletic midfield. A lot of them didn’t play midfield before the season. We’ve got dawgs on the team.”
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Both Central Kitsap and Silas are safely in the state tournament field, which begins next week with the opening round May 14-15 and the quarterfinals May 17-18. The state tournament semifinals and championship games will be held May 24 and 25.
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4A CHAMPIONSHIP: SUMNER 3, CURTIS 2
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Sumner and Curtis went back and forth all game in the Class 4A District 3/4 championship game, eventually ending in a 3-2 Sumner win and district title. It was settled with a pair of second-half Spartand goals from Arya Alijana and a penalty kick from Antonio Hernandez.
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What felt like the game’s most significant sequence, though, happened earlier.
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About a half hour in, Sumner was awarded a penalty kick, but the take was blocked out of play. Then, on the ensuing corner kick, the bill found the foot of senior defender Zackary Rygol, who floated a high-arcing ball over the Curtis keeper and into the back of the net.
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High, low, then high again — emotional fluctuations in the span of about a minute.
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“I think it’s just being able to get some sort of momentum,” Rygol said. “We play with a bunch of emotion. This team has been through ups and downs so I think it’s just our chemistry, love, our passion and just the community around us. We’re playing for our fans and our school. The badge is all it is.
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Curtis got on the board first on a goal from Drew Castellanos off a corner kick. Sumner took its first lead early in the second half on a beauty into the top-right corner from Arya Alijana, but Curtis leveled the score again in the 56th minute when Andrew George drilled home a penalty kick. Antonio Hernandez’s penalty kick conversion on the other end was the game winner for Sumner.
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“Our team, it’s been a roller coaster all year,” Rygol said. “We’re all striving to get a win at state. … We are playing our best soccer. We’ve played some tough competition and have found success through that. I think the only way forward is to keep going.”
This story was first published May 9, 2024, 11:49 PM.