4A boys soccer: Eastlake turned back by South Kitsap

SAMMAMISH — Eastlake's boys soccer team had the state-tournament pedigree in Friday's Class 4A state quarterfinal match, but South Kitsap had a Ringer.

Senior forward Andrew Ringer scored two goals, including the game-winner on a breakaway in the 72nd minute, as the Port Orchard school earned its first state semifinal berth with a 3-2 victory at Eastlake.

Ringer was cut during South Kitsap tryouts a season ago, and barely survived this season to gain one of the team's final roster spots.

"It's my first year on this team," said Ringer, a self-described late bloomer. "I'm glad I could help."

South Kitsap (16-2) will face the winner of today's Lake Stevens-Auburn quarterfinal at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner next Friday.

Eastlake (15-3), which won the 1997 state championship and placed third in 2000, was bidding for a third semifinal trip in 10 years.

The Sammamish school overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie it on a goal by Jeff Rixe in the 67th minute. Less than four minutes later, Ringer took a through pass from Travis Gutierrez and bore in alone to send a point-blank shot past Eastlake goalkeeper Robbie Marsh.

"You gotta credit Eastlake for battling back," South Kitsap coach Eric Bergeson said. "But after we gave up a 2-0 lead and the momentum, talk about an answer."

South Kitsap, like Eastlake nicknamed the Wolves, opened the scoring in the 20th minute on a 19-yard free kick by Cade Mossman. The kick came after Eastlake's Marsh inadvertently stepped outside the penalty box to scoop up the ball ahead of an onrushing defender.

Ringer made it 2-0 in the 31st minute when he dribbled in from the left sideline past one defender and eluded another before ripping a 15-yard shot from a steep angle into the far side of the net.

Eastlake cut the deficit to 2-1 just two minutes later. Cash Elston, the KingCo 4A player of the year, got his head on a 28-yard free kick from teammate Andrew Lazarz and chipped the ball to the right corner of the net to close out the first-half scoring.