Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com
By Ray Hamill — The only problem with Bailey Cherms’ magnificent goal seven minutes into sudden death overtime at Albee Stadium on Wednesday night is that it brought an end to a thrilling showdown between two rivals who left everything out on the field.
In an epic NCS girls soccer playoff game, played on a cold foggy night, Cherms and the Arcata Tigers did just enough to knock off Eureka 2-1, with the senior midfielder netting a brilliant strike to end a brilliant game.
“I think that’s in the top two high school games I’ve ever seen,” said long-time Arcata head coach Patrick Stranahan. “It really was. You couldn’t ask for any more from either team.
“Much respect to the Loggers. They gave it their all tonight.”
Eureka head coach Tommy Learmouth echoed the sentiment.
“That was the best game I’ve seen from my team all year, and the best game I’ve seen from Arcata all year,” he said. “I think both teams left it all on the field tonight.”
There were numerous standout performances on both sides, none more so than Eureka’s Keylei Carroll, Aquene Tollefson and Klayre Barres, and Arcata’s Cherms, Zakiya Elloway and Zoe Leonard.
Leonard was arguably the player of the game, relentlessly cutting out the potent Loggers attack time and again, and inspiring her teammates with her play, as she has done all season.
Alongside her in the heart of defense, the ever-reliable Sophia Salinas also impressed with another stellar showing, as did fullback Tildy Macdonald.
Up front, freshman Thea Trout broke the deadlock for Arcata seven minutes into the second half, running on to a through ball and finishing with a well-placed shot.
The Loggers had been arguably the better team up to the point, and they continued to press after it.
They got their reward just five minutes from time, with Carroll’s long pass setting up Barres, who beat out the defender on her way towards goal and cooly slotted past onrushing Arcata goalie Skaidra Pulley.
It was the only time the Loggers found a way past Pulley, who denied them on several occasions, while again vocally leading her defense from the back.
The goal, however, was nothing less than a resilient Loggers team deserved, and it was enough to send this epic battle into overtime.
Trout got the first chance in the extra period after breaking through the Eureka defense just one minute in, but saw her shot across the goal mouth go just wide of the target.
It didn’t matter, with Cherms sealing the win just six minutes later on a wonderful strike from out near the sideline that sailed into the top corner and sent her teammates and the Arcata fans into a frenzy.
“Bailey Cherms hit one heck of a shot,” Learmouth said.
All in all, it was an fantastic game between these two rivals and a fitting final all-local showdown of the season in what was the 25th year of H-DNL soccer.
In the past quarter century, it’s unlikely there have been too many better than this was.
“This is what the Eureka/Arcata rivalry is about,” Learmouth said. “I’m super proud of the young ladies. They left everything out on the field.”
Barres, Carroll and Tollefson were relentless in pursuit of a way through the Arcata defense in the second half after their team fell behind, while at the back junior Rebecca Russ and seniors Angelina Wescott and Marissa Hall were composed throughout, giving the visiting attack little room to create much.
Some of the Eureka freshmen also impressed, particularly in the first half, with Ginny Brooks and Jordan Brown testing the Arcata defense early on, before Learmouth went to many of his more experienced players in the second half, with senior midfielder Madi Anderson creating some room and opportunities on the outside and senior goalie Kellina Pratton gathering just about everything that came her way.
For Arcata, the battle was won in defense and center midfield, with Elloway instrumental in the middle of the park throughout the 80 minutes.
Jocelyn Bliven also was outstanding in defense and midfield, as was Linda Carlson and Annie Macdonald on the outside of midfield, and the oldest of the three Macdonald sisters, Michaela, who continually works as hard as anyone on her team.
“My ladies battled hard and left everything out there,” Stranahan said. “And that’s all I can ask.”
