Eastmont claims 4A boys soccer title with dominant second-half performance
Aaron Leon’s second-half hat-trick powers Eastmont past Sumner 3-1 in the WIAA Class 4A state championship at Sparks Stadium.
Eastmont secured the WIAA Class 4A state high school boys soccer championship on Saturday night, defeating Sumner 3-1 at Sparks Stadium. The Wildcats maintained their undefeated status throughout the tournament, capitalising on a decisive second-half surge driven by Aaron Leon, who scored a hat-trick to seal the title.
Leon’s performance continued a dominant offensive trend for Eastmont, following a similar three-goal display in the state semifinals against Lincoln of Seattle. His goals for the championship match arrived in the 47th, 61st, and 88th minutes, breaking a scoreless first-half deadlock that had kept Sumner competitive. Sumner’s Aiden Vannoy scored the Spartans’ only goal in the 88th minute, but it was insufficient to alter the outcome.
Eastmont’s path to the title was marked by high-scoring victories, including a 7-1 win over Puyallup in the opening round, a 3-1 quarterfinal victory against Mount Si, and the 3-0 semifinal win over Lincoln of Seattle. The team’s consistent firepower proved insurmountable for Sumner, who had navigated a challenging bracket as the eighth seed.
Sumner’s run to the final represented the program’s best-ever finish in the state tournament. The Spartans, coached by Craig Johnson, defeated ninth-seeded Lewis and Clark 4-1 in the opening round, eliminated top-seeded Stadium 3-1 in the quarterfinals, and advanced to the final via a penalty kick shootout victory over Newport in the semifinals.
The result adds to a historically successful athletic year for Sumner High School. On the same evening, the school’s baseball team won the 4A state championship by defeating Gonzaga Prep 7-0. Sumner’s football team had previously retained the 4A state title last autumn, and the girls basketball team reached the 4A championship game, where they fell to Davis.
