PREP BOYS' SOCCER: Trojans knocked out of first round by Brewster

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WENATCHEE — The season came to an end Tuesday for the Meridian boys’ soccer team, but the Trojans are already looking forward to next year.

Brewster’s Josue Hernandez scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the Bears to a 3-2 victory over Meridian in a Class 1A state tournament firstround game at Wenatchee Apple Bowl.

The loss knocked the Trojans out of the first round of the state tournament for the second straight year and ended their season with a record of 13-9. The Bears improved to 16- 1 and advance to the state quarterfinals to face Highland, a 2-0 winner over Cascade (Leavenworth).

“We had our chances, all the way to the final whistle,” Meridian coach Joe Spencer said. “They’re (Brewster) good up front, but in all honesty, after you’ve played Mount Vernon, Squalicum, Bellingham and Ferndale, you’re pretty well prepared.”

Hernandez and the Bears struck quickly with a goal in the sixth minute, assisted by Jesse Villalobos.

The Trojans responded quickly, as senior forward Alex Couweelers tied the game one minute later, with the assist going to Igor Shkurat.

Couweelers scored his second goal of the match and 25th of the season at the 17-minute mark, on an unassisted 45-yard shot that Spencer called “an amazing goal.”

Hernandez answered with his second goal in the 35th minute, with Franco Martinez assisting. Hernandez had a hand in the Bears’ game-winner as well, assisted on Marco Correa’s goal at the 50-minute mark.

The match was a back-andforth battle for the final 20 minutes, according to Spencer, who stressed that the Trojans are optimistic about the future.

“We just traveled six freshmen to the state tournament,” Spencer said. “Our expectations are high.”

Spencer lauded the play of Couweelers and Shkurat, Meridian’s two seniors.

“Alex was phenomenal to watch all season,” Spencer said. “He had two or three guys hanging on him all game, all season. It was fun to go through all of this with him and Igor. We’re going to miss them, but next year will be a lot of fun.”