CHS, WHS boys set to open state soccer tourney play

PALMER — Most teams tend to want to avoid a two-time defending state champion in the first round of state tournament play, but for Colony, playing the two-time champs might actually work to the Knights’ advantage.

Colony, one of two Valley programs opening state tournament play Thursday, will face two-time defending state champion Juneau-Douglas Thursday at 5 p.m. at Chugiak High School in the first round of the ASAA/First National Bank State Soccer Championships.

Wasilla, the Northern Lights Conference champions, opens up with South Anchorage Thursday at 1 p.m. at Chugiak.

“They’re the two-time champions, but everybody graduates people every year,” Colony head coach Jeremy Johnson said of the Crimson Bears. “They have had a little bit of turnover, and I feel like we played them really tight earlier this year. We’ve made adjustments since then, and I’m hoping those adjustments make a difference.”

Juneau edged Colony 2-1 in nonconference action at Colony High during the regular season.

“It was a fairly even game with Juneau,” Johnson said.

The matchup features the two winningest soccer coaches in Alaska state history. Juneau-Douglas head coach Gary Lehnhart has the most wins in Alaska state history. Johnson, who earned his 200th win of his career last week, is second on the list at 202. The game will also mark the fifth straight year Colony has met Juneau in the state tourney.

“It seems it always happens. Somehow we always end up with Juneau,” Johnson said.

Juneau beat Colony 3-1 in the state quarterfinals last year. The Bears edged the Knights 1-0 in overtime in the 2010 state semifinals. The teams also met in the state fourth-place game in 2009 and quarterfinals in 2008.

Johnson said the 2010 semifinal still stands as one of the most thrilling matches he’s been a part of during his 18 years as the Colony head coach.

“We hit the crossbar and it bounced out. They hit the crossbar and it bounced in. That was the only difference in the match,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he believes the Knights are on a favorable side of the bracket. Third-seeded West Valley and sixth-seeded West Anchorage meet in the other match on the bottom side of the bracket.

“I think that benefits us. Missing Dimond and South Anchorage on your bracket is a pretty good thing,” Johnson said.

Homer, the NLC runner-up, fell to the eighth seed despite beating Colony during the regular season. Based on ASAA’s seeding criteria, Johnson said the Knights’ strength of schedule gave Colony the edge over Homer.

While the Knights avoided the top-heavy top half, NLC champion Wasilla shares that side with Dimond, Homer and South Anchorage, the Warriors’ first-round opponent. While there is certainly stiff competition, Wasilla head coach Blake Livingston said the Warriors are embracing the challenge.

“Honestly, I think our team is looking forward to playing an Anchorage school,” Livingston said. “We know that South is one of the most dominant teams in the state. It will be a test to see how we stack up.”

The Warriors were still searching for their identity when the season started, but continued to grow. That growth led to a 2-1 win over Homer in the NLC title game, giving the Warriors their second conference title in as many years.

“Our team, they work hard and believe in each other. We play a really gritty, blue-collar style of soccer opposing teams don’t seem to like very much,” Livingston said.

Livingston said the Warriors have different styles of players that have gelled to create a successful game plan. Wasilla has its skilled talents such as Kyler Perry , Travis Patterson and Rell Sturdevant. There are the multisport athletic standouts such as Cash McGregor. The Warriors have also benefited from the addition of a few Wasilla hockey players such as Chancie Hanson and Dylan McRee.

“There are a lot of different parts to our team,” Livingston said. “We’ve got Kyler, Travis, Rell, and then we have all the hockey guys.”

Livingston also praised the work of goalkeeper Corey Hogan during the season.

“Corey Hogan has really stepped up and filled a void in goal for us,” Livingston said.

Only two Valley teams qualified for the state tournament. This season marks the first time a Valley girls team did not advance to the state tourney since ASAA sanctioned the state soccer tournament in 2000.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.