3A BOYS SOCCER – ACROBATICS LIFT NEWPORT BY RIVERSIDE
By Craig Smith
The Seattle Times, WA
May 16 2007
BELLEVUE – Newport used two spectacular late-game goals – one of them
a bicycle kick by Grant Lazarian – to come from behind and eliminate
Auburn Riverside 3-2 Tuesday night in the first round of the Class
3A boys soccer playoffs.
"That’s the best goal I’ve ever scored in my life," said Lazarian,
who is from Armenia, of his acrobatic kick in the 83rd minute that
tied the score at 2-2.
Defender Jeff Axell scored the winner with 35 seconds left in
regulation on a right-footed, perfectly angled kick from 8 yards that
tucked into the far corner of the net.
In addition to what he called "the best goal of my life," Axell also
had a strong defensive performance.
After Cam Vickers scored twice for Auburn Riverside in the first half,
Axell was assigned to him and held him scoreless.
"I think we made them earn it," said coach Robyn Saarenas of Riverside
(14-4-1).
Newport sophomore midfielder Scott Staples opened scoring with a
left-footed bullet from 15 yards out in the 15th minute.
Then came the first of Vickers’ quick, back-to-back goals. The senior
slammed home a rebound off a save by Arizona-bound goalie Danny Nunes
in the 18th minute. Eighty seconds later, Vickers put Auburn Riverside
ahead 2-1 with an in-alone goal.
The Knights, who outshot the Ravens 20-6, were getting shots but not
goals until the drought ended.
The Knights (13-2-1), who play Hazen in the quarterfinals this weekend,
bleached their hair blonde after qualifying for state.
Tuesday night, the blondes had more fun.
hoolsports/2003708831_craig16.html