Hazen keeps clean sheet against Lindbergh

Soccer can be an incredibly frustrating game for all involved — from missed opportunities to score, to penalties, and unfortunate or fortunate, unexpected bounces of the ball.

Nothing encapsulated that more the game between Hazen and Lindbergh, which saw the Highlanders defeat the Eagles 1-0 for the fifth straight game April 12. It has now been seven years, across four meetings between the two sides, since Lindbergh has scored a goal against the Highlanders.

“Every time you play a game in this area, it is a challenge… It wasn’t our best effort, but we still got the result. … It was a hard fought game for (Lindbergh),” said former Lindbergh coach and current Hazen manager Ryan Johnson. “I know how the rivalry works. I’ve been on both sides of it. They were up for the game and gave us everything they could have.”

It’s just the second clean sheet victory of the season for Hazen, with a 0-0 draw against Juanita sandwiched between the Lindbergh win and a 3-0 win against Renton earlier in the year.

Hazen has played self-described “Pete Carroll type games” this season by Johnson. The former Seahawks head coach was notorious around the state as someone who never really put games out of reach and instead let their opponents hang around and make a game of it.

Lindbergh conceded a penalty inside the 18-yard box in the 24th minute of the game, which gave Hazen its first real opportunity to gain an advantage in the game.

Junior Vitaly Polyukh slotted the penalty in the bottom left corner of the goal, beating Lindbergh’s keeper for a 1-0 lead. It would be the only goal of the contest, but Lindbergh’s desire for an equalizer was met by Hazen’s drive to put the Eagles away.

In the second half, Lindbergh came out much stronger. The Eagles were more organized, controlled possession and really worked the ball through Mattiyas Ferew. All good opportunities on goal had some sort of involvement with 18 in blue.

The Eagles were inches away from a pair of goals in the second half, but some clutch reactionary saves from Owen Pruitt kept Hazen in front.

“He had a couple of good saves out there. He has been playing really well of late. Pruitt has really solidified himself as our top goalkeeper and is doing a good job,” Johnson said.

Hazen soccer has been rolling since the middle of March. Over their last eight games, the Highlanders have lost just one match and won six. This stretch is enough to stick Hazen right in the thick of the 3A KingCo standings in a three-way tie for second, two points behind Liberty.

“We’ve just been really strong (this season),” Owen Pruitt said.

A win is never taken for granted, especially at this point in the season, but the Highlanders left a couple of goals on the field that really could have crushed the hearts of the Lindbergh side.

“It always feels good to get a win. A shutout helps. But I wish we could have gotten a little more. I think it was pretty good,” Pruitt said.

Lindbergh sits in third at the 2A level behind Evergreen and undefeated Foster, with five games remaining on the season. Eagles senior Abdiel Lopez Limas, following the final whistle, was seen taking players away from the referee and was given a red card. Lindbergh does not have to start the next half down a man, but Lopez Limas will more than likely be penalized and suspended for one game. The Reporter reached out to Lindbergh and Renton School District, but did not hear back in time to meet deadline.