Early strike enough for Eagles

ANCHORAGE — A bad bounce during the first minute of play was enough to keep Wasilla from its first appearance in a title game and send West Anchorage to the championship match for the first time since 1993.

Senior Beazit Redzepi knocked in a header 40 seconds into regulation to represent the lone score of the Eagles’ 1-0 win over the Warriors during the semifinal round of the ASAA/First National Bank State Soccer Championships at Anchorage Football Stadium on Friday.

“It was real unlucky,” Wasilla head coach Blake Livingston said.

After the opening whistle, West was able to quickly move the ball into Wasilla’s defensive third. Redzepi capitalized after a quick scramble in front of the net, and before the Warriors could settle into the first minute of play, Wasilla was stunned and suddenly down by a goal.

“I think it too the boys about five minutes to realize they could play with West,” Livingston said.

Once the Warriors did see they could play with an Eagles, the Cook Inlet Conference runners-up, Livingston said his team performed well.

Sophomore goalie Eli Tingstad and senior Tillerman Kroon led a sturdy WHS defense, and the Warriors had scoring opportunities up front.

Midway through the first half, junior Borja Angoitia bounced a header off an Aaron Sharrow throw-in just high of the net. Angoitia had a nearly identical play during the 71st minute.

That attempt, was the first of three quality chances during the final 10 minutes for WHS.

Sharrow knocked a hard shot from the right corner of the box that West goalie Dylan Faber had to slap away with both palms.

After taking a free kick from Sharrow, Kroon got past the defense and had a solid chance on net. That led to a Wasilla throw-in and a Jose Sorto shot that just went high of the net.a

“I think West was glad when that final whistle blew,” Livingston said.

Wasilla followed with a scoreless tie against Dimond in the third-place match on Saturday.