Colony boys, Wasilla girls stay alive in state soccer tourney

EAGLE RIVER — The Colony Knights may have lost their bid for a state straight title, but the 2014 champions have the opportunity to finish the season with a victory for the second straight season.

Colony rebounded from a first-round loss to South Anchorage, and grabbed a 5-2 win over West Valley in the boys’ consolation semifinal round of the ASAA/First National Bank State Soccer Championships Friday at Eagle River High School.

Junior Ben Sande netted the hat trick, and senior Austin Richardson scored a pair of goals to help push the Knights into the bracket’s fourth-place match. The Knights will face Bartlett Saturday at 9:45 a.m. at Bartlett High School.

Sande and Richardson also finished with two assists for the Knights, who beat Dimond 3-2 in double-overtime last season to win the 2014 state title.

The Wasilla girls also moved into a fourth-place match, thanks to a 3-2 overtime win over Juneau-Douglas Friday afternoon. Sophomore Ally Hull netted the game-winner during the 108th minute of the match. Hull took possession about 50 yards out, drove up the field, cut into the box and ripped a shot into the upper corner of the net.

Seniors Teyonnah Williams and Alexa Starr also scored for Wasilla.

Williams scored in the 45th minute to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead. Juneau tied the game, scoring off a direct kick in the 70th minute. In the first 10-minute overtime period of the match, Juneau converted a penalty kick to give the Crimson Bears the 2-1 lead. Soon after in extra time, Starr blasted a shot in from about 30 yards out to knot the score at 2.

Wasilla will play Northern Lights Conference rival Soldotna Saturday at 8 a.m. in the girls fourth-place match at Bartlett High.

The win marked just the third state victory for the Warriors in eight trips to the tournament since 2005. The Warriors have not finished higher than sixth during that span.