They danced.
They celebrated.
And if you didn’t know any better, you may have thought the Kent-Meridian boys soccer team won the state championship on Friday night at French Field. For the Royals and their fans, the feeling proved just as good as a state championship.
Ka Mar Din scored unassisted in the 42nd minute and goalkeeper Jose Campos proved stingy as ever in goal as Kent-Meridian knocked off Kentwood 1-0 in the South Puget Sound League North Division finale for both teams.
As for the celebration …
“It was something I have not seen before. You would have thought we won the state playoffs,” Kent-Meridian coach Brian Gabert said. “They knew the significance of it … it was just a rowdy atmosphere.”
And understandably so as the Royals came into the night with a goose egg sitting in the win column. The only point Kent-Meridian had registered in the standings leading up to Friday’s win came thanks to a 1-1 tie with Federal Way on April 21.
But this K-M bunch would not be denied.
“I was just in shock,” Gabert said. “A lot of times, you walk off the field and say, ‘Had this happened or that happened (we would have won).’ Well, finally things fell our way.”
Finally, however, might be an understatement.
It was Kent-Meridian’s first win since April 25, 2006, when it knocked off former SPSL North foe Enumclaw 2-1. That’s a winless streak of 49-straight matches.
Though the Royals certainly have come close since that win over Enumclaw more than two years ago. Matter of fact, they’ve mustered seven ties during that stretch.
But not a single win until Friday night.
Outside of Campos’ strong play in goal and the timely score by Din from six yards out, sweeper Tyrone Castro and fullback Hiep Nguyen, among others, also delivered strong performances.
“It was a big party atmosphere afterward,” Gabert said. “To me, it felt like winning a state championship. When you reach for your goals and get them, it’s a great thing. It doesn’t matter how many wins you have.”
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