The Curtis Vikings hosted the Bellevue Wolverines in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. Curtis, by virtue of its regular season performance, was able to rest and heal with a bye in the first round. Bellevue on the other hand had a 14-5 tuneup victory over Lake Tapps on Tuesday night.  The Vikings have ended the Wolverines' season in two of the past three years, so expectations were high among the fans for a good contest.

One minute into the game Bellevue's Dakota Jones took a feed from Cole Johnson (6a, 5gb) and buried it in the top left corner from seven yards. Two minutes later Drew Douglas (5g, 5gb) scored an solo shot and the Wolverines seemed on their way 2-0. Both teams felt a little out of sorts, but five first quarter saves by the Wolverines'  Austin Boyd masked their defense's lack of rhythm.  Halfway through the period, Brandon Dean took a feed from Quinn Moody as he was cutting down the seam and put the Vikings on the board. Next, Alex Larson beat Boyd 1-on-1, and the game was tied 2-2.  After each squad added another goal, the first quarter ended in a 3-3 tie.

In the 2nd, the tempo problems continued as both teams' offenses appeared skilled, but never really clicked. Curtis longpoles started to assert their power, led by seniors Mitch Homeyer and Cory Monaghan.  Douglas tallied another, and the Vikings' Air Force-bound midfielder Colby Carr added an EMO goal and the half ended 4-4.

The waters of Puget Sound glistened in the sunset and the tide seemed to change in the 3rd period. Bellevue's faceoff team consistently delivered the rock to the offense and they dominated time of possession. Curtis keeper Tony Nighstood on his head, rejecting shots from near and far, keeping Bellevue at bay. But Johnson fed three scorers in the period and the Blue Man Group went up 8-4. With four minutes left in the 3rd, the Vikings' first offensive threat of the period produces when junior attackman Carson Stewart (3g) rockets one into the twine. Bellevue's Johnson-to-Douglas tandem delivers once more and the quarter ends with Bellevue up 8-5.

Down by three, the Curtis defense started the 4th quarter with renewed aggression and hunger. But Bellevue's middies handled the threat with their best ball control of the game. Nigh shut them out again but Bellevue was able to garner rebound after rebound. The long lost rhythm was found, with the inevitability of Beethoven's Death March.  The ball movement was stellar and frustrating as the clock slowly disappeared, dragging the Viking's hopes along with it. Stewart delivered a shot to pull his team within two with five minutes to go. But Bellevue's Johnson and Hank Bethke literally run the clock out behind the net, and the Wolverines load an 8-6 victory into their bus for the ride home.

Curtis ends the year 11-6, and with 12 seniors on their roster, will need to do a major reload for next season. But with their JV coming off a solid two-loss season the cupboards aren't exactly bare, and Coach Scott Bloom will certainly have them firing on all cylinders.

Bellevue moves on to a Wednesday rematch of last year's State Title game, with a 7pm faceoff at Mercer Island. The Islanders notched a two goal victory over Bellevue back in March and are riding an 11 game winning streak. The Wolverines are anxious to prove that last year was no fluke, and their young guns will come in with a full season now under their belts. I can't imagine a reason why you would miss this game.