Ballard kicks Edmonds-Woodway out of 3A state soccer tournament

SEATTLE — The Edmonds-Woodway boys soccer team was two-thirds of the way there.

The Warriors, playing in the state tournament for the first time in 12 years, just couldn’t quite finish.

Edmonds-Woodway had several scoring chances but couldn’t find the back of the net as the Warriors fell to Ballard 3-0 Tuesday evening in a 3A state first-round game at Interbay Stadium.

The loss ends Edmonds-Woodway’s season.

“We didn’t play our game. It’s that simple,” said Edmonds-Woodway head coach Tony Gilman. “… There were times when we played the ball and possessed and had some good touches and controlled the flow of the game. It’s just in that final third (of the field), which has been an off-again, on-again reoccurring theme over the course of the season.”

Ballard struck first in the 14th minute with a goal by Raul Rivera-Varga who found the ball in front of the Edmonds-Woodway goal after a pass by Karim Piottin-Ndiaye.

Edmonds-Woodway had several opportunities to tie the game in the first half, with perhaps the best chance coming two minutes after the Beavers’ goal. Edmonds-Woodway sent a corner kick in front of the goal with several Warriors vying to put the ball into the net, before it sailed out of bounds.

“We just didn’t have it today,” said senior goalkeeper Griffin Small. “We should be able to play with that team. We thought we were better than them.”

The Warriors trailed just 1-0 at halftime and were looking to get a breakthrough goal early in the second half.

Unfortunately for Edmonds-Woodway, that goal never came.

The Beavers broke through with an insurance goal in the 52nd minute by David Scott to increase the Warriors’ deficit and Piottin-Ndiaye added another score for Ballard in the 71st minute to all but put the game away.

“They didn’t have a lot of shots either. It was a winnable game,” Gilman said. “Maybe it’s the nerves, I don’t know. … We felt like we still had the opportunity to just get one. Just get the first one. It’s hot, who cares? We do extra conditioning. I’m sure they did too. Leave it on the field. If you have to come off for a quick drink, fine, we’ll do that.”

Ballard (16-2-1), which won the Metro league championship, moves on to face the winner of Lakeside-Central Kitsap in the 3A state quarterfinals.

The Beavers won without leading scorer Aaron Banobi, who went down with a left leg injury in the sixth minute. Banobi had to be helped into the locker room at halftime and was on crutches for the second half.

Edmonds-Woodway was also not at full strength, with Jose Aleman, the Warriors’ leading goal scorer this season with nine, leaving the game early in the second half.

“Jose pulled up lame and couldn’t run,” Gilman said. “Not quite sure what’s going on with him there. (It’s unfortunate), for a senior, last game and not be able to finish it on the field.”

The loss ended the first winning season for the Edmonds-Woodway (12-5-3) seniors, who went 4-10-2 last season, 7-9 the year before and 5-11 in 2012.

“It’s by far the best year, out of my four years, that we’ve had,” said Small, who will play at Saint Martin’s next season. “We set goals at the beginning of the year. … We played well and played hard. Obviously, it’s a tough way to go out but hopefully it’s a jump start to Edmonds-Woodway soccer in the future.”

Small is predicting big things for the future of the Warriors’ program.

“The last four years we haven’t made the playoffs, or even been .500,” he said. “This is the first year we have. Our juniors this year are really good. I believe in them. I have no doubt that they can come back here again next year.”

Gilman, who completed his 22nd year at Edmonds-Woodway, also sees promise.

“Last year’s JV was undefeated, this year’s JV is undefeated as well. We have some kids that are going to come up,” Gilman said. “… I think it breeds well for the future, for the program, the kids that are on the JV and are looking to come up. This should be an expectation for them next year. They’ve had a taste.”

At Interbay Stadium

Goals—Raul Rivera-Varga (B), David Scott (B), Karim Piottin-Ndiaye (B). Assists—Piottin-Ndiaye (B). Goalkeepers—Edmonds-Woodway: Griffin Small. Ballard: Cole Weaver. Records—Edmonds-Woodway 12-5-3 overall. Ballard 16-2-1.