A goal just before halftime turned out to be decisive, and top-seeded Glendale went on to defeat Republic 2–0 in the district semifinals at Republic on Wednesday.
Glendale’s pressure eventually broke through in the 39th minute, and the Falcons added another goal midway through the second half to seal the win. Republic goalkeeper Koal Williams made 15 saves to keep the Tigers within reach as Glendale outshot Republic 25–4 and held a 14–5 advantage in corners.
Coach Jesus Zuniga said the late first-half goal was decisive. “It was huge for them,” he said. “They had the edge. They could change the game, change how they wanted to play… It definitely gave them momentum moving forward. I mean, that’s a great team.”
Republic had allowed three goals in about a five-minute span the first time the teams played, resulting in a 3-1 loss. The second meeting Wednesday was still in doubt until the final minutes.
Republic’s best chance came on a counterattack midway through the second half, when Maddox Aldridge forced a save. “Every team that has kind of scouted us knows our strength was our counter,” Zuniga said. “Our countering is where we’ve been the strongest all season long.”
Despite the loss, Republic finished 13–14 after a 1–10 start. The Tigers won 12 of their final 16 matches, setting a program record with 10 shutouts and allowing just 32 goals—an average of 1.88 per game.
“We dug ourselves in a hole, but it was because of the strength of schedule and those one-goal losses. For us to compete the way we did, even when we were never fully healthy, says a lot about these boys,” Zuniga said.
The Tigers started five seniors for most of the season, but Zuniga said the returning core gives him optimism for next year. “It’s showing that we have some depth moving forward, which has me kind of excited,” he said.
Zuniga said a Bible verse he encountered Wednesday morning was relevant to the day’s events. “‘In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.’ Unfortunately, we had plans, but it didn’t go our way,” Zuniga said. “Still, that was a huge step for us and a huge step for our program moving forward.”
The match was the final one for seniors Luigi Spiridon, Eastyn Daniel, James Robbins, William Pinnell, Mason Tackett, Leighton Perez, Mason Makoski, Sam Richardson, Rohan Barre, and Isaac Vermule.
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