By Ray Hamill — It’s been a season of firsts for the Eureka Loggers, and they’re hoping to add one more before all is said and done.
They were the first Eureka High team to get a win on the new Albee Stadium field, and the first to get a playoff win on it. They were also the first Eureka boys soccer team to reach a North Coast Section semifinal and the first to qualify for a section championship game.
Now they’re hoping they can add one more first to their resume by becoming the first team in program history to win a section championship.
On Wednesday night, spurred on by their outstanding defense, the Loggers hosted league rival Del Norte in the NCS Division-2 semifinal and won 2-1 in double overtime,.
As expected, there was little to separate these two rivals in an intense and very entertaining match between two teams that know each other well.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock for much of the night and they were still tied 0-0 going into the final quarter of the game.
But an inspired performance by versatile sophomore Jaelen Foster would prove the difference late in a tight game.
The young Logger turned in the “standout performance” of the game, according to Eureka head coach Tommy Learmouth, and he was pivotal in both Eureka goals.
With just 15 minutes remaining in the game, he won a penalty kick, which was calmly converted by fellow sophomore D’Alessandro Medina to give the home team the narrowest of leads heading down the stretch.
But the Warriors were far from done and continued to battle hard until the final whistle.
And their perseverance was rewarded with a late equalizer just moments from time.
Junior Dale Ramirez netted from a long range free kick 42 yards from goal out near the sideline, with a shot that somehow sailed through a packed goal mouth and found the back of the net.
The late goal would force overtime, and once again there was little to separate the sides until late.
With just five minutes remaining before a penalty kick shootout, Eureka’s Bryce Pope broke free down the sideline, crossed into the box, where Foster set up teammate Cooper Munson, who sealed the win with a well placed shot from seven yards out to kickstart the celebrations.
“What a battle, what a game,” Learmouth said. “I thought we played well, I thought we manage the moment and intensity well.”
The loss ends a memorable playoff run for the Warriors, but the Del Norte players battled until the end and gave their league rivals all they could handle.
“I thought it was an evenly-matched game that could have gone either way,” Del Norte head coach David Sanyaolu said. “My boys showed our typical never-say-die attitude to get back in the game.”
The win for the Loggers sets up a championship game showdown with Redwood Christian on Saturday night.
And the No. 6 seeded Loggers will get to host that game — another big first for the program — after the No. 9 Eagles knocked off No. 4 Summit K2 3-2 in Wednesday’s other semifinal.
“We’re excited for the challenge, excited for the opportunity,” Learmouth said.
The Loggers will be hoping to become just the second ever H-DNL boys team to win a section championship in the sport, and the first first since the Fortuna Huskies won the last of their three NCS titles in 2019.
There were several standouts for Eureka on the night, including Foster.
“I could not be more proud of him and the effort he put in last night,” Learmouth said.
The Eureka defense and goalkeeper Mason Beauchamp also have been playing at a very high level this postseason, and did not allow a goal through almost three games, before Ramirez’s brilliant late equalizer.
The unit, which incudes senior team captains and center backs Kyan Green and Luiz Gonzalez, as well as Mansoor Khan and Greyden Larson and Jerome Everta and Tytan Blair-Zimmer, has paved the way for this historic playoff run.
Especially Green and Gonzalez, who have carried their off-field friendship to the field of play where they have developed a keen understanding and reliable partnership.
“I don’t think there’s a better center back partnership in the league,” Learmouth said. “And it’s really nice to watch that friendship on the field.”
Khan also “has been spectacular for us all season,” according to the coach, while Larson has “really come alive for us in the second half of the season and has been indispensable for us,”
Everta and Blair-Zimmer have also impressed on defense.
“The six of them have really helped solidify that back line,” Learmouth added.
The sure-handed Beauchamp also has carried his outstanding regular-season form into the postseason where he has allowed just one goal in 255 minutes of play.
“He’s been stellar for us all season,” the Eureka coach said.
So too have center midfielders Lucas Ask — “our physical leader and our vocal leader,” Learmouth said — and Medina, who controlled the tempo for much of the night, while Pope and Landon Larson made numerous probing runs down the wings, with Pope’s final contribution of the game a decisive one.
Up front, Foster turned in arguably the best performance of the night, alongside the tenacious Munson, a relentless attacker who never knows when to quit.
While it was a disappointing result for the Warriors, the performance was far from it.
“I thank all the boys for the effort and growth they showed all season,” Sanyaolu said. “They laid it all out there today. It just wasn’t our day.”
L:earmouth also praised the performance of the visitors.
“Coach David and (assistant) coach Scott (Sousa) always have their team playing extremely well,” he said. “Last night I thought it was an exceptional game of high school soccer.
“It’s been close all season and again it could have gone either way.”
But it wasn’t just the players and coaches who had a good night.
“Our referees did great last night in a high-intensity game,” Learmouth said.
The Loggers now have one game remaining, arguably the biggest game in program history.
“Kudos to Eureka for a great game,” Sanyaolu said. “They are a good team. Wishing them all the best in the final.”
