HS Soccer: Vikings big 2nd half dooms Olympia at Puyallup

4/2/2025

Puyallup 6, Olympia 2

(Puyallup, WA) The Puyallup Vikings wasted little time in putting a goal on the scoreboard scoring in the 2nd minute when BraylonmBowie re-directed a shot into the net for a 1-0 lead. The Viking offense was cranked and ready to go early in the match and just 10 minutes later in the 13th Curran Caufield scored for Puyallup and it looked like it was going to be a run-away.

But the Bears defense stiffened up with keeper Miles Gould stopping 10 shots in the first half. Then in the 30th minute the Bears, after missing several close shots, found the target when Drew Crawford took a pass from Joseph Raso and knocked it in. The Bears weren’t done yet and just 5 minutes later hit the equalizer when Jake Murphy attacked from the left side and popped it in for the tie. This sent the match with a whole new perspective into the halftime break deadlocked at 2-2.

To begin the 2nd half there was a change in the Puyallup goal as starting keeper Alexis Cruz Hernandez got banged up in the 1st half and the Vikings put in Jr Peyton Lewis. The Bears were looking to maintain the momentum shift and maybe take advantage of the back-up in goal.

Those plans were quickly blown up as the Vikings were re-energized and against got off to a fast offensive start with a relentless attack. The Viks scored just 3 minutes into the 2nd half when Seth Foster powered in a PK after aq foul in the box. Puyallup again took about 10 minutes to score again in the 43rd to double up the Bears. Bowie set it up with a pass to Curran Caufield who ripped a shot from deep for the 4-2 lead.

The next question was would the Bears dig in again and come back with still 27 minutes to play? The answer was it looked they would with several on frame shots but Lewis stepped up huge in the box and made some key stops frustrating the Bears offense. Olympia then made the ultimate mistake in the 67th minute with an own-goal to hand the Vikings a 5-2 lead whiched iced the match. Puyallup would score a late goal in stoppage time by Izzy Torres for the final score.

Our Thorbeckes MVP award went to Curran Caufield with Braylon Bowie and Peyton Lewis in the discussion. The Vikings remain undefeated as they pick up their SPSL opener and are 1-0 in league play and now 3-0-1 on the season. Olympia drops to 0-1 in league play and took their 1st loss of the season and are now 4-1-1. Puyallup is back in action on Thursday at Emerald Ridge, while Olympia is home next Monday against Curtis.

Link to watch full match replay on the NFHS Network (Subscription required)

ESN Postgame Show