5/1/2023
Curtis 2, Puyallup 2
(Puyallup, WA) It was showdown time in the 4A SPSL boys soccer in the north division, undefeated and 2nd ranked Curtis (9-0-2) came into the match 1 point behind Puyallup for the divisional championship. Puyallup is 8-1-2 but they have scored more points due to the different scoring system. Division wins earn you 3 points and 1 point for a tie.
Now the scoring system for the crossover games is far different and allows for the chance for a team with a worse record to actually lead in points. In the crossover games they play each team just once and play the teams in their division twice during the regular season. The 1st difference is if the game ends in a tie then they go straight to a shoot-out. All other games end in a tie. Scoring in the crossover games are up to 6 points for wins of 3 or more goals, 5 points for winning by 2 goals, 4 points for winning b y 1 in regulation. If the game goes to PK’s the winner gets 2 points and the loser gets 1 point. This is how a team with fewer wins can actually be the top team by points.
To simplify this match it was easy if Puyallup won they would be North Division Champs. If they last they would need to win their final match at Bellarmine Prep and Curtis would have to lose. Curtis if they won Monday night would take the lead by 2 points and then they would need to win in the finale at Sumner or tie the Spartans. If Puyallup wins at B Prep and Curtis ties at Sumner both would have 43 points but in head-to-head in that scenario Curtis would have a win and tie to Puyallup’s loss and tie to give Curtis the top spot.
In the 1st half the Puyallup Vikings were aggressively attacking the Curtis defense. Chase McMillian led the strikers putting a ton of pressure on Curtis with help from Zack Robertson and Dean Williams but the defense stood up until McMillian was fouled in the box in the 12th minute. Williams then knocked home the PK and it was 1-0 Puyallup.
Curtis would get the offense up and running and they too began to press the Puyallup defense with their front line guys in Andrew George, Elijah Johnson-Warren and Javi Luevanos. In the 30th minute Johnson-Warren was taken down from behind in the box giving Curtis their chance at a PK. By the time Luevanos lined up the ball it was the 32nd minute and that is when they tied the match on the successful conversion. This is also how the half would end, deadlocked at 1-1 in a battle of PK’s.
As the 2nd half began Curtis picked up where they left off with controlling time of possession and firing off several attacks on the Puyallup defense that was handling it until the 52nd minute when Andrew George took a ball near midfield dribbled down the near side and blasted a laser into the net and Curtis had their 1st lead of the match.
Puyallup would counter in the 62nd minute after Dean Williams got the ball in the box and passed it to the left toward Liam Stoner who then back heeled his way into the net and the tying score. Both teams had plenty of chances in the 18 minutes but both defenses held their ground and the match ended in a 2-2 tie.
This leaves both teams right where they were when the match began, Puyallup leading by 1 point and now just 1 match for each team to play. Both will play on Wednesday with Puyallup at Bellarmine Prep facing the team that handed them their lone loss of the year. Curtis is at Sumner where they must win to have a chance at passing Puyallup for 1st place. The teams played to a 1-1 tie on April 18th.
If Puyallup wins or Curtis ties or loses or if both teams tie then Puyallup will hold onto 1st place. If Curtis wins and Puyallup loses or ties Curtis will be League Champs.
Our MVPs of the match went to Curtis’s Javi Luevanos and Puyallup’s Dean Williams.
ESN talks with Puyallup’s Liam Stoner on his game tying goal
Video Highlights
www.elisportsnetwork.com
