Colony boys beat perennial state rival Crimson Bears in OT

EAGLE RIVER — Typically, the road to the state championship match goes through Juneau-Douglas.

Not this year.

Senior Jake Spannegel scored during the 89th minute to lead Colony to a 2-1 overtime win over the Crimson Bears during the ASAA/First National Bank State Soccer Championships quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at Eagle River High School. Colony moved into the semifinals for the first time since 2010, and will play West Anchorage today at 2 p.m. at Chugiak High School. Juneau, meanwhile, saw its streak of 13 straight trips to the semis snapped. The Bears, a state tournament participant every year since ASAA officially sanctioned the event in 2000, had not lost in the quarterfinals — until Thursday. Juneau will not have the chance to compete to play in its 12th state title match in 14 years.

Colony also enjoyed some vengeance against its state tourney nemesis. It’s the sixth straight year the Knights have seen the Bears in the tourney, and only the second time Colony has ever beat Juneau in state tourney play. Colony scored three unanswered to beat Juneau 3-2 in the 2000 state title game.

Longtime Colony head coach Jeremy Johnson, who ranks second in career wins in state history (trailing only Juneau head coach Gary Lehnhart), was certainly relieved to finally get the best of his career rival.

“Sixth year in a row play in one round or another. Being 0-5 against them was tough, but the boys came out and did their job,” Johnson said.

Johnson was not surprised to see Juneau in the tourney. It’s becoming an annual tradition. The Knights thought the match may come on Day 2 or even Day 3 of the tourney.

But after the blind draw (ASAA’s new method of pairing teams in the first round), it was a Colony-Juneau quarterfinal.

“The only two undefeated teams in the state. Random draw happened to pit us against each other. We felt like (Juneau) was a team we could easily see in the final if they were on the other side of the bracket,” Johnson said.

Juneau, winners of five state titles and two of the last three championships, took a 1-0 lead with Nick Stewart’s goal during the 29th minute. Stewart took a pass from senior Jackson Lehnhart, the 2013 Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year, broke up the right side of the field and ripped a shot into the far side of the net.

“We were trying to get used to that speed of play,” Johnson said. “First 30 minutes, really the first half, we struggled. Last 10 of the first half we were starting to control the game a little bit. In the second half, we really didn’t give them many opportunities on goal.”

Colony was finally able to strike in the second half. Senior Tanner Menard sent a cross from the right side of the field, placing the ball in a perfect position near the far post. Senior Nick Blohm was able to crash the net, knock in a header and tie the score at 1.

“He played the ball right over the top, right over the keeper. It was a great cross,” Blohm said of the Menard pass.

As the Knights continued to adjust to Juneau’s speed, Blohm said his game-tying goal during the 65th minute certainly sparked the Knights.

“It gave us a chance, even if we didn’t score again in that half, we could still come through in overtime,” Blohm said. “We are more of a second half team. We have a lot of depth on the bench, a lot more endurance.”

Spannagel netted the game-winner during the 89th minute. Senior Leo Jaschek moved a ball from the outside. Spannagel, the 2013 Northern Lights Conference Co-Player of the Year, worked for good position and ripped a shot into the net.

“It was difficult to get any space. They were always on our case. They were always right behind us, always pressuring us,” Spannagel said. “It was nice to finally be able to turn, see the goal, rather than having by back to it all the time.”

As Colony moves forward, with its sights set on a trip to the state title game for the first time since 2004, Blohm said it’s nice to now see Juneau in the rearview mirror.

“Juneau is always one of the top teams. It’s nice to get one of the big wins out of the way. It sets the tone for the rest of the weekend,” Blohm said.

South slips past Wasilla

CHUGIAK — In late action Thursday night, South Anchorage slipped past Wasilla 2-0 during the first round.

South scored a goal in each half to move into the semifinal round to face rival Dimond today at 6 p.m. at Chugiak High.

Wasilla was pushed to the elimination round with the loss, and will play NLC rival Soldotna today at 6 p.m. at Eagle River. Dimond beat SoHi 9-0 in the first round.