Just as a bright, spectacular sunset appeared and dominated the sky from behind Highline Stadium to the Olympic Mountains and beyond, Kennedy pulled down the curtains on a 1-0 state quarterfinal boys soccer victory over Blanchet.

Whether the orange and red clouds were a sign or not remains to be seen, but the Lancers will be playing in the state semifinals starting Friday in a place in Sumner called Sunset Chevrolet Stadium.

Goalie Chris Blais snatched seven saves out of the sky Friday to help Kennedy hold on against the tenacious Banchet team.

"They're a great team," said Kennedy head coach Brian Mullen of Blanchet. "It was only a matter of time. They kept attacking and coming at us."

The Lancers wasted no time putting a crooked number on the scoreboard.

Josh Ambrozic scored in the third minute of action from 5 yards out, knocking the ball past Blanchet goalie Ian Fewing and into the back of the net.

From that point on it was time to stop Banchet, and that wasn't easy.

One key play came in the 86th minute on a free kick from just outside the right front portion of the penalty box.

A Blanchet player stepped on the back of a downed JFK player, but that play was not seen by an official. A reaction by a Kennedy player was seen.

So the JFK defenders lined up and withstood the attempt, which skimmed off Blais on goal and almost went in.

"I set up my wall on top of the 18-yard (penalty) box," Blais said. "I was just on my toes and got a finger on it."

But Blais still wrapped up his seventh shutout by the time the match ended.

"I know the kid who took the shot really well," Blais said. "I knew we would be in for a battle."

Kennedy 2, Shorecrest 1

Kennedy reached the quarterfinal round of the state tournament by clawing past Shorecrest in a shootout in the first round.

Josh Burnside knocked in an unassisted goal in the 17th minute to get the Trojans started, then Mickey Crudo of Shorecrest tied it up again with an unassisted goal in the 30th minute.

The match remained tied through two five-minute overtimes before outscoring Shorecrest, 4-3, in the shootout.

Blais, Derek MacLean, Eli Gordley and Tony Armitage all scored in the shootout for JFK. Elliot Richards, Michael Baker and Cory James all scored for the losing Shorecrest side in the Tuesday, May 16 game.

Shorecrest finished with a 13-3-3 overall record.