Knight boys earn region title

DARRELL L. BREESE/ Frontiersman Reporter

PALMER - In a zone. Firing on all cylinders. Dialed in.

There are many truisms that describe how the Colony boys soccer team played during the regular season.

After Saturday 2-1 sudden death overtime victory against Skyview, they can add champion to the list. Playing on their home field, the Knights and the Panthers equalled the other's intensity level from the opening whistle till the final tally.

"I'd say that's the best output we've had this year," said Colony forward Temu Maki who scored the game winning goal 24 seconds into the sudden death overtime period. "It all happened so fast. I was running toward goal and then the ball was right there. I didn't even have time to think."

The junior scored his goal off a centering pass from Gerald Miller, catching the Panthers off-guard.

"We didn't expect that to happen," Skyview coach David Carpenter said of the sudden end to the game. "The official just blew the whistle to start golden goal play and then it was over."

Colony coach Jeremy Johnson attempted to take credit for the bang-bang play that won the game, but admitted he simply put Miller in as a sub to relieve a weary Ian Walton.

Miller had his hand in another quick goal during the game as he sent a similar pass across the goal that was redirected off the head of Brian Carpenter two minutes into the first half.

Despite allowing the early goal, the Panthers refused to surrender. Instead, they turned up the pressure, forcing Colony goalie Jake Williams to make eight saves in the first half.

But it wasn't a one-sided game The Knights peppered Panther goalie Matt Stalnik with 11 first half shots.

"That was a well played game by both teams," Carpenter said. "We both had scoring chances, but the keepers were up to the challenge."

Things didn't slow in the second half as Williams made seven more saves, and Stalnik stopped eight.

"Skyview put a lot of pressure on us," Johnson said. "But the difference is that we were able to handle the pressure because of our technical ability. You could see it when we moved it around."

The victory marked the sixth time in the last ten years the Knights have won the conference championship.

"We expect to be in this game, playing for the championship every year," Johnson said. "But to win it on our home field is special for this team and the five seniors."

Both Colony and Skyview will represent the conference at the state championship tournament which begins Thursday in Anchorage.