MINNEAPOLIS - Duluth East’s dream turned into a Nightmare on Fourth Street as the Greyhounds lost 5-1 to Stillwater Area in a Class AA high school boys soccer state tournament semifinal this morning at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Seth Hoffman’s penalty kick gave East a 1-0 lead just 25 seconds into the contest, but the Ponies (18-1-2) ratcheted up the intensity and scored four goals in the second half to turn the match into a rout and earn a berth in Thursday’s championship opposite Wayzata, a 6-2 winner over Maple Grove.
Third-ranked East (19-2), which had its 10-game winning streak snapped, will meet the Crimson (16-2-2) in the third-place game at 4 p.m. Tuesday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Hoffman struck first after teammate Nolan Friday had been knocked over in the penalty area in the first half minute. He put his shot to the left of goalkeeper Fred LeClair for a 1-0 lead.
That summed up the Greyhounds’ highlight reel.
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Jorge Malon tied the game at 1-1 in the 13th minute when he converted a pass from Maxwell Timmons.
The game remained even until early in the second half when the Ponies scored four times in a 13-minute span.
Spencer Scott played a nice touch pass to Max Stauffer on the left wing and the junior midfielder beat Matthew Campbell with the winning goal in the 49th minute.
Timmons converted on a breakaway off a Malon through ball minutes later when his shot deflected off Campbell’s hands and into the back of the net.
Just 66 seconds later, Jack Boucher scored unassisted for a 4-1 lead.
Scott beat an onrushing Campbell for the final goal in the 62nd minute.
Duluth East 1-0-1
Stillwater Area 1-4-5
First half - 1. DE, Seth Hoffman, 1st (pk); 2. SA, Jorge Malon (Maxwell Timmons), 13th.
Second half - 3. SA, Max Stauffer (Spencer Scott), 49th; 4. SA, Timmons (Malon), 53rd; 5. SA, Jack Boucher, 55th; 6. SA, Scott (Stauffer), 62nd.
Saves - Matthew Campbell, DE, 1; Fred LeClair, SA, 5.
