The Spartans will face Squalicum in Saturday’s Class 2A championship after scoring a 2-1 comeback win against Sehome in the semifinals.
FEDERAL WAY — Bainbridge’s boys soccer team hasn’t faced many come-from-behind situations this spring. Presented with that situation Friday, May 29 after falling behind 1-0 against No. 12 Sehome in the Class 2A semifinals, the top-seeded and undefeated Spartans showed no fear.
Junior Magnus Hauge and senior Will Treverton scored three minutes apart late in the first half and senior goalkeeper Cooper Harrington made several key stops in the final minutes of action as Bainbridge prevailed 2-1 to book a spot in Saturday’s title game. Bainbridge (22-0) faces No. 2 Squalicum at 2:45 p.m. in Federal Way.
“Be excited now,” Bainbridge head coach Mark Nowak said, “but as soon as we walk out of the stadium, there’s one more job to do.”
Sehome went ahead in the seventh minute, taking advantage of a corner kick. The Spartans lost Kevin Schoeder at the far post and the junior defender beat Harrington with a header, putting the Mariners up 1-0.
“That’s what happens on these big stages is these jitters come out,” Nowak said, “and we don’t play the game that we usually do.”
Bainbridge trailed until the 37th minute when senior Blake Moyer sent a cross from the left side of the field to Hauge, who beat Sehome’s goalkeeper with a perfectly-placed header, knotting the score 1-1. Not bad considering Hauge is a standout central defender for the Spartans. He saw a chance to make a run after Bainbridge gathered control at midfield and made his shot count.
“He’s so valuable in that back line,” Nowak said. “If we had two of them, one of them would be higher up the field.”
Right before halftime, the Spartans struck again. Sophomore Aiden Hauge, Marcus’ younger brother, gained possession near Sehome’s net and fed a pass across the goal mouth to Treverton, who calmly left-footed a shot into th goal to put Bainbridge ahead 2-1.
Both teams traded offensive opportunities in the second half and Sehome came close on a couple occasions to finding an equalizer in the late going. Harrington deflected at least one shot off the goal frame and he made two stops from in close as Sehome pushed to send the game into overtime.
“Incredible saves,” Nowak said. “When called upon, he’s great for us.”
Now Bainbridge finds itself in position to win its first boys soccer state title since 2013 when the Spartans topped a Mercer Island team featuring current Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris.
“One more,” Nowak said, “one more.”
