Blackhawks' season ends with loss in state opening round

The Cheney boys soccer team’s first appearance in the state 2A tournament since 2014 didn’t last long.

After a five-hour-plus trip over the Cascade Mountains to Renton, the Blackhawks fell 3-1 last Tuesday to Lindbergh High of the South Puget Sound League in opening round action in the field of 16 teams.

The Eagles got a goal in the first half and made it 2-0 with a goal 10 minutes into the second. Cheney got on the board seven minutes later as Christian Lamphere found Noah Prophet on a pass off a through ball the senior forward converted to pull the team within 2-1.

It stayed that way until the closing minutes when Lindbergh converted a free kick for an insurance score.

Cheney head coach Morgan Hartanov praised the play of his team against a Lindbergh squad that fielded 14 seniors, placing third in state in 2016. This year the Eagles were the top seed out of District 3, winning the Mountain Division of the 2A South Puget Sound League with a 12-0-2 record, 16-1-2 overall.

“Overall the boys played well,” Hartanov said. “We left it all on the field. It was a cool experience.”

Lindbergh’s season subsequently came to an end with a 1-0 quarterfinal loss May 20 to perennial 2A power Cedarcrest from Bellingham.

Cheney finished the season at 12-8 overall in what Hartanov termed the “season of shootouts.” The Blackhawks had seven games decided by penalty kicks after ending regulation and overtime periods tied — going 3-4 in those games.

“You win all of those, our record looks a lot better,” he added.

Cheney loses eight seniors to graduation off varsity, a great group Hartanov said that managed to get the team back to state. The Blackhawks should have a good group of 10 varsity players returning next season, as well as junior varsity players, some of whom got minutes on the senior squad.

“It was a good season,” Hartanov said. “Anytime you go to state is a good season.”

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.