Boys Soccer: Tides' Season Ends With Loss to Eastlake

The High School boys soccer team season ended Tuesday with a 2-1 loss to Eastlake in the first round of the state 4A tournament at Eastlake High School.

"We knew they were playing three [defenders] in the back so opportunities were going to be there to score," said Tides head coach Todd Northstrom, whose team hadn't lost since April 5. "We just couldn't finish them."

Gig Harbor (14-3-1) created scoring chances in the scoreless first half, but the Wolves' defense played well and the Tides missed shots.

Northstrom changed his formation at halftime, moving a defender up to midfield to form a 3-4-3 (three defenders, four midfielders, three forwards). However, it was Eastlake (11-3-2) that took immediate advantage of the change, scoring in the 45th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Chris Discolo's throw-in found senior defender Gerard Galvin, who headed the ball past Gig Harbor goalkeeper Korey Durkee.

The Wolves made it 2-0 four minutes later, when fan favorite Brandon McComb redirected a Madison Heck shot past Durkee.

"It was my first varsity goal," McComb said. "I didn't think I was going to play much but with the yellow card, I came in to the game."

Northstrom praised Eastlake's play, but saw differences in the scores.

"It was one nice goal, and one iffy goal," Northstrom said. "Give them credit, they beat us straight up."

The Tides didn't quit and senior captain Robby Ubben drew them within 2-1 in the 71st minute. That was the last of the scoring, ending the Gig Harbor soccer careers of Ubben and seven others.

"We are a veteran team, this group of seniors came in with me when I came back to the program three years ago," Northstrom said. "We went from a sophomore-laden team to a junior-laden team to this year, where I thought we would contend and pull it out.

"It's disappointing to lose."

Eastlake will host Garfield, which ended Gig Harbor rival Bellarmine Prep's season, on Saturday night in a quarterfinal match. The tournament bracket is here (pdf).