Entering Saturday’s 1A District Championship game, there was no doubt the Montesano Bulldogs would have to go through a gauntlet of adversity if they wanted to hoist the first district title in program history.
After a full 80 minutes, two overtime periods and a nerve-wracking penalty-kick shootout – in 80-plus degree heat – the Bulldogs had achieved their glory.
A huge save from goal keeper Jayden McElravy allowed Felix Romero to bang home the winner as Monte defeated Seton Catholic 2-1 – 4-2 on penalty kicks – to claim the first district championship in program history on the scorching black turf at Tenino High School.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano sophomore forward Felix Romero (14) drives forward against Seton Catholic’s Zeek Valencia-Mendez during the Bulldogs’ 2-1 victory in the 1A District 4 Championship game on Saturday in Tenino.
The Bulldogs (18-1 overall) faced an onslaught of shots as Seton Catholic (15-2-2) had better first touches and controlled the midfield throughout the first half, relegating Monte to the play a long, over-the-top counter-attack.
But it was Monte that was able to break the scoreless tie thanks to one of those aforementioned counter-attacks. McElravy started the play with a long clearance just past midfield toward senior midfielder Mateo Sanchez, who perfectly flicked a header forward. Sophomore forward Felix Romero gained possession of the ball and maneuvered through the Cougars defense before shooting a low shot to the far post from inside the 18-yard box, using a defender as a screen.
The ball slipped past Cougars keeper Zach Catherall for a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute.
After halftime, Seton Catholic’s midfield pressure and possession pushed the Montesano defense deep into it’s own end.
Cougars midfielder Eli Wall held the ball near the end line deep in Monte territory and sent a cross toward the far post, where forward Sam Soto converted to tie the game at 1-all in the 49th minute.
The game would remain that way over the remainder of the second half, with Seton Catholic working possession to gain shots from near the 18-yard box while Monte would counter-attack with long plays downfield.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano junior midfielder Luke Clements (2) heads the ball against Seton Catholic’s Eli Wall during the Bulldogs’ 2-1 victory (4-2 on penalty kicks) in the 1A District 4 Championship game on Saturday in Tenino.
But both defenses held form, sending the game into two sudden-death overtime periods.
Monte’s best chances came in the second overtime as Sanchez nearly booted in a 50-yarder on the kickoff, with the ball being tipped over the crossbar by a leaping Catherall.
On the ensuing corner kick, Sanchez bent the ball toward the front of the net, with both Luke and Levi Clements just missing a game-winning header as the ball sailed through the front of the Cougars net and across the end line for a goal kick.
Neither team scored over the two five-minute overtime periods, sending the game – and the district title – to a penalty-kick shootout.
Soto was up first for Seton Catholic and gave Monte a boost when his kick rang off the left post.
Monte’s Jiovanny Torres, Seton Catholic’s Wall and Monte’s Cristofer Tobar scored, giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead in the shootout.
Seton Catholic’s Gavin Erickson stepped up and sent a PK low to the right side, but McElravy guessed correctly, smothering the ball a foot in front of the goal line as the crowd – and McElravy himself – erupted in cheers.
“I wouldn’t say I was extremely nervous. In my head, a shootout like that, the goal kicks, those are just luck. A keeper has to guess and dive to the right side and even if you do, if a kid places it perfectly, there is no saving that,” McElravy said. “I was just going to do my best. … I guessed wrong on most of them, but guessed right on one and that’s all we needed.”
Sanchez scored to put Monte up 3-1 followed by goal by the Cougars’ Isidoris Skiadas, setting up Romero for the potential game and district championship winner.
Romero took his time walking from midfield to the penalty spot then drove a high, hard shot to the upper right of the net. Catherall had no chance as the blast ricocheted around in the back of the net, giving Monte the victory in emphatic fashion and setting off a Bulldogs party near midfield.
“I thank the coaches for how they’ve coached me to stay calm, take my breath and trust myself and believe what I’ve been doing all year long,” Romero said of his game-winning boot. “It’s a really good feeling. From going to districts and losing in the first round last year to just spending this last season with Mateo and all those senior captains I really idolize, it’s really nice to just be a family and celebrate.”
“The guys kicking the ball did a great job and they put it away. I can save four out of five and we can still lose,” McElravy said. “Our dudes stayed calm and put it away. Great job by them and I loved seeing it. It got me hyped.”
The victory gives Monte the district title just two seasons after most of the current Bulldogs went 4-12 and missed the playoffs.
“It’s a journey,” Monte head coach Fidel Sanchez said. “They grow. Look at the growth over the last two years. Now, they are district champions against a really good team.”
Coach Sanchez said that what his team lacks in overall soccer talent, it more than makes up for in determination and execution.
“Everybody underestimates us because we might not have a lot of skill and a lot of passing ability, but what we do works and we do it really well. We defend and we counter and defend and counter,” he said. “We get the most out of these guys and that was a great example today. … (Seton Catholic) has been scoring against everybody. That’s the thing that impresses me about our team is we limit the chances the other team has. That’s what I like about this.”
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano junior midfielder Levi Clements (21) attempts a header during the Bulldogs’ victory over Seton Catholic in the 1A District 4 title game on Saturday in Tenino.
The game was a grueling one for both teams as the 80-degree weather and beating sunshine was magnified on the black turf in Tenino, requiring water breaks midway through each half.
Further compounding matters for Montesano was numerous foul calls the Bulldogs received while not hearing whistles when, for example, Mateo Sanchez was knocked down from behind with possession while inside the penalty area in the first half.
Seton Catholic was awarded 11 free kicks to six for Montesano.
The Cougars outshot the Bulldogs 16-7, while Monte held a 5-4 advantage in shots on-target.
While frustrating, it was part of the process Monte had to navigate to hoist the trophy.
“Mentally, it was challenging. Whenever you have a ref constantly making calls, feeling like he controls the game, it just really feels like a stop-and-go kind of game. When it’s more so for one team, it’s mentally draining and you feel like you can’t get around it,” Mateo Sanchez said. “But I think our defense definitely stuck together because (Seton Catholic) was constantly attacking and had pretty good possession, but our defense held together and kept us in it.”
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano senior defender Michael Neal heads the ball forward during a 2-1 victory over Seton Catholic in the 1A District 4 Championship game on Saturday at Tenino High School.
“The coaches on the sideline were yelling at us, telling us to ‘stay in your head’ and it’s really nice to turn your shoulder and you got your teammate right there by you, telling you to stay with it and that’s what helped me,” Romero said of dealing with the game’s frustrations. “I’m really grateful for the coaches we have and the program we’re building and I just hope we can continue our success into the state tournament.”
Coach Sanchez had nothing but pride regarding his team’s history-making accomplishment.
“I’m proud of the fight,” he said. “I’m proud of them not giving up though we got tied in the second half. I’m proud of the fact that we pulled it off. This is huge.”
“A couple of us were nervous but a lot of us were happy because it’s the first time our school has been here. So we had a goal to be the first one to ever get here and win the game because a 100% win rate for Monte in the district championship sounds a lot better than zero,” McElravy said. “That was our goal. We were going to give it our best and our best was just good enough today.”
“It feels relieving,” Mateo Sanchez said of the win. “Now we are probably going to get to host a few games for state and won’t have to travel.”
Montesano will likely find out its state seed and opponent on Sunday.
Montesano 1 0 – 1
Seton Catholic 0 1 – 1
(Montesano wins 4-2 on penalty kicks)
First half – 1, Montesano, Romero (Sanchez), 29th minute.
Second half – 2, Seton Catholic, Soto (Wall), 49th minute.
First overtime – none.
Second overtime – none.
Penalty kicks – Montesano (Torres G, Tobar G, Sanchez G, Romero G); Seton Catholic (Soto NG, Wall G, Erickson NG, Skiadas G).
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano senior midfielder Mateo Sanchez (15) heads the ball during the 1A District 4 Championship game on Saturday in Tenino.
