Blaine offense outpaces Sedro-Woolley in 1-1 tie

Borderites freshman Nicholas Wheaton beats a Sedro-Woolley midfielder to the ball. Photo by Oliver Lazenby

By Oliver Lazenby

Borderites varsity soccer was on track to get its first win on April 12, at Pipeline Field, but Sedro-Woolley scored a tying goal on a penalty kick in the second half.

The tying goal turned up the intensity in the second half, with both teams hungry for a win. Though Blaine’s offense outpaced Sedro-Woolley’s in shots on goal by 17 to nine, the Borderites couldn’t score in the second half.

“I saw a lot of energy and good soccer,” head coach Gio Quesada said after the game. “Both teams really wanted the win.”

The game was sophomore midfielder Alieu Diaw’s return to the field. He missed the last six games after receiving a red card early in the season against Burlington-Edison.

Diaw was a key player, scoring Blaine’s only goal and assisting in some key defensive plays.

“There was a lot of effort from the whole team, but today Alieu made the difference,” Quesada said.

Diaw scored off a corner kick from Gavin McPhail seven minutes into the game.

“I was at the back post. I saw the kick and thought the keeper was catching it, but it slipped past him and I headed it in,” Diaw said.

Sedro-Woolley tied the game early in the second half on a free kick.

Despite a couple close opportunities on breakaways from Liam Lyons and other Blaine forwards in the second half, the Borderites couldn’t score a winning goal. They did, however, force Sedro-Woolley’s keeper to make 10 saves throughout the game.

Blaine’s next game is at noon on Saturday, April 16 against Mount Baker at Pipeline Field.