Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Monday, Jun. 01, 2009

PREP BOYS' SOCCER: Squalicum wins first state title in school history

SUMNER - Squalicum junior George Karadimas wasn't even sure he was going to see playing time in the Class 2A Boy's Soccer State Championship game on Saturday, May 30.

Karadimas had been battling sore muscles in his right hamstring and was told he might see minutes on the field when the Storm faced Cheney.

But the junior saw enough minutes to produce in a big way, scoring twice to help lead Squalicum to a 4-2 win for the program's first state title.

"To score the first goal, and then score again ... when we scored the second goal and it was 2-2, I knew we were going to win," Karadimas said.

Cheney's Paul Holloway finished off a corner kick and scored first in the 25th minute, but Squalicum junior Dimitri Polichronakis fed a ball to Karadimas three minutes later to even the score at 1-1.

After the half, Cheney's Xavier Day snuck in a goal past Squalicum keeper Morgan Waidelich in the 56th minute for a 2-1 advantage. But again, three minutes later senior Connor Shipman sent a ball to a sliding Karadimas who punched it in for the game-tying goal.

"We didn't know (his status)," Squalicum coach Joe McAuliffe said. "Somehow rubber bands held together and (Karadimas) was able to finish up and finish strong for us."

With less than 10 minutes left Shipman beat a defender and sent the ball deep into the left corner for the tie-breaking goal. Shipman spread his arms out wide and ran toward the Squalicum fans in celebration.

"I'm extraordinarily proud of the all the boys," McAuliffe said. "They played so well."

But the Storm weren't done there. Polichronakis was tackled by his teammates when he iced the win with a goal with about a minute left.

"We told each other second doesn't mean anything," Karadimas said. "We have to get first place and be part of Squalicum's history."

The Storm will return home with their first championship trophy, seven years after they won their first trophy at state, a second-place trophy to Sehome. But Squalicum was ready to top that.

"We're best in state," Polichronakis said.

On the defensive end, Squalicum handled most of what it was given. From his spot at defender, one thought went through senior Evan Brunhaver's mind when Shipman scored the go-ahead shot.

"Thank goodness for having Connor on our team," he said. "That was a lot of relief."

Shipman's goal certainly played a large part in Squalicum bringing home the top prize, but as Karadimas stated, the entire team had a hand in being part of school history.

"It's not about one player, it's about the whole team," Karadimas said.

Reach Somer Breeze at somer.breeze@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2285