Pasco soccer hopes to end playoff drought vs. CV in state semis

The game had been over for several minutes — the Pasco High School soccer team beat Wenatchee 5-0 — when another cheer rose from the crowd, with nearly as much gusto as the one that came after the final whistle sounded.

“You wanted them, you got them,” the announcer’s voice boomed over the PA system. Central Valley had beaten Camas 7-1 in the other May 20 quarterfinal game, setting up another installment of one of the state’s best soccer rivalries.

The crowd at Edgar Brown Stadium went wild.

Pasco plays Central Valley at 8 p.m. Friday at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup in the Bulldogs’ first state semifinal game since 2009.

“There’s a couple of guys at Central Valley that are going to Spokane Falls with me, and I’ve talked to them,” Pasco senior forward Jesus Meraz Rodriguez said after beating Wenatchee. “I know it’s going to be intense because (in the regional championship) we were beating them 1-0, and then they beat us 2-1.”

Winners of the past three Mid-Columbia Conference championships, the Bulldogs (17-4) also reached the state quarterfinals in 2015 and ’16, but were knocked out by the Bears (16-2) both years — each time by a score of 1-0.

Pasco also lost to CV in the regional championship this year and in 2015, and in the semifinal last year.

Sixth time’s the charm?

“That’s how it goes,” Pasco coach Matt Potter said of matching up against Central Valley. “They’re a very good team. We’re not at all surprised to see them again. All four teams are going to be excellent, so right now it’s a matter of getting over there and executing.”

Regardless of how the weekend goes, the Bulldogs are beyond pleased with the season to this point. The team features eight All-MCC selections — Meraz Rodriguez won his second straight Player of the Year nod, Potter was Coach of the Year for third year in a row — and a wealth of talented seniors that until now had only been able to get painfully close to the final four.

Now it’s their time to make some history.

“The guys take pride in sort of pushing this program forward,” Potter said. “I think (the quarterfinal) was a big step in pushing it forward. It’s a big deal for the guys, it’s a big deal for the community and for our program.”

Glacier Peak takes on Todd Beamer at 6 p.m. in the other semifinal matchup. The championship game is at 5 p.m. Saturday, with the consolation game scheduled to kick off at noon.

Pasco is seeking its fifth championship game appearance and third state title, the last coming in 2007 with a 4-3 win over Federal Way at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.

WAHLUKE WARRIORS STILL BATTLING IN 1A BRACKET

With three losses in the SCAC East and a ho-hum 11-5 regular season record, Wahluke may have looked like an easy out in the Class 1A state tournament.

Try telling that to Chelan and defending champion Seattle Academy, the Warriors’ opponents — turned victims — in the first two rounds.

Now Wahluke (15-6) will try to keep the magic going in the semifinals against Cascade (Leavenworth) at 2 p.m. at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.

The five-time state champion Warriors are playing in the final weekend of the tournament for the first time since 2011.

“It’s nice to get into the tournament,” Wahluke coach Arthur de Victoria said. “Once you get past that, it’s just kind of gravy.”

Forward Emmanuel Hidalgo has carried his dynamic regular season into the playoffs. The senior South Puget Sound CC commit has had four of his 23 goals and one of his five assists come during the Warriors’ two state games.

“He’s pretty good; he’s got spacial awareness so he knows what’s going on around him,” de Victoria said. “He’s quick, he’s got a good touch on the ball. He’s one of the best players we’ve had come through here in a long time.”

In goal for Wahluke is another senior captain, Ulysses Gonzalez, who has recorded seven shutouts this season despite missing four games because of injury.

This story was originally published May 25, 2017 at 3:32 PM with the headline "Pasco soccer hopes to end playoff drought vs. CV in state semis."