Walking off the field after a win on penalties against the No. 1 seed in Gig Harbor, Liberty High School Head Soccer Coach Ryan Johnson joked that he should just get an apartment outside Sparks Stadium. For the second straight soccer season following Hazen’s boys team in the spring, Johnson has led his team to the state semifinal round.

Johnson had a thought that Liberty had top four potential, but after the injuries and harsh regular season, he has seen an incredible fight from his group.

“I knew we had it in us. We had to just come together. The injuries at the start of the season put us on the back foot. Then we had the tough schedule playing a lot of 4A teams that are still in their tournament. We just knew we had to keep the faith and keep going. I couldn’t be more proud of these kids,” Johnson said.

Liberty entered the quarterfinals matchup off of a comeback victory 3-2 over White River in the first round on Nov. 14. But a new challenge faced Liberty in the quarterfinals with the top seeded Gig Harbor Tides on the road at Roy Anderson Field on Nov. 15.

“It’s incredible. I can’t remember the last time we made it this far. To be in this moment is surreal,” senior keeper Peyton Warns said.

The Patriots were the No. 9 seed and have been coming into their own on the field, but the Tides were a force of their own as both sides scored three goals in the second half to head to overtime and eventually penalty kicks.

“Players are banged up, they find something to keep on fighting. That’s all you can ask for as a coach. It was just fun to watch. I am just so proud of them,” Johnson said.

Addie Struer chases the ball down the field for Liberty against Gig Harbor. Ben Ray / The Reporter

The first half saw zero goals, but a foreshadow of Liberty goalkeeper Peyton Warns’ excellence was on display to keep Gig Harbor off the scoreboard. Her talents would be requested once more in the penalty shootout, and the Seattle University commit rose to the occasion.

“She told everyone out there, ‘I got this everyone, I got this’ before she went out there,” Johnson said. “I was just really proud of her. She made really huge saves in the game to keep this thing going.”

Early in the second half, it looked like Liberty wouldn’t need any extra time. The first half was won by the Tides, who created more chances and were the side asking more questions of the Liberty defense than Liberty was of the Gig Harbor back line. But in the second half, the Patriots were the ones applying pressure.

“We just really dug deep, we were creating a lot of chances up the field already. It was bound to go in,” senior defender Serena Sato said.

Mia Carr has been huge for Liberty down the stretch with a quick early goal against Inglemoor to help get Liberty into the state tournament as well as logging miles and miles on the pitch. But on Saturday night, her right foot put Liberty in the driver’s seat. She hit an absolute missile into the top corner of the goal in the 50th minute and shocked the Gig Harbor fans in attendance.

Carr’s teammates raved about her ability after the win.

“She’s the main part of our attack,” Mylene Aguila said.

“Almost 80% of our chances come from her. We didn’t have her last year, unfortunately, but this year we were ready to have her,” Warns said.

“She’s all over,” Sato added.

Gig Harbor was coming off an 8-2 win over Oak Harbor in the opening round and had shutout opponents in three out of their last four games. To say Liberty surprised the players and coaches of Gig Harbor might have been an understatement.

Not long after taking a 1-0 lead, Morgan Ackermann found time and space from the Gig Harbor defense, and she ripped a shot that really put all the momentum on the side of the Patriots early in the second half.

But the Tides weren’t given the top seed for no reason. Their first goal came on a set piece, as Elizabeth Hayes sent a shot on goal, which moved Warns to her left. But the shot deflected off the wall, which fooled Warns, and Gig Harbor was on the board.

It is also important to note that for this state quarterfinals game, the scoreboard at Roy Anderson didn’t work all game. No time, no score, just black, increasing the intensity and stress of a state tournament game.

Inside of the final 10 minutes of the game, three goals were scored. Gig Harbor leveled on a really talented goal from Hayes for her second of the night. She used a great first touch to set herself up and she put on a quality shot.

Liberty could have folded right then and there. The Patriots could have set up in the defensive third and played for overtime. But that’s not how they operate. They wanted to win it. Ackermann paired up with Carr and Addie Struer, who put Liberty in front.

Struer is a spark plug for Liberty, a player similar to former Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy. Struer and Vardy both play with a fire for the game that gets under the skin of their opponents. Small things here and there rile up opposing players, fans and sometimes officials. She played a physical style of soccer and used that strength to give Liberty a 3-2 lead inside the final five minutes.

But the Tides in the final minute found another equalizer and this time it was deflected in off a Liberty defender for an own goal. “We told them, everybody makes mistakes out there. But your teammates have your back and will continue to pick you up and find a way to support ya. That was just what we had to do,” Johnson said.

In overtime the Patriots and Tides didn’t create many chances and headed to penalties.

Ackermann, Skyla Yu and Carr all went 3-for-3 to start from the penalty spot. While Gig Harbor went just 1-for-3 to start, Warns made two saves on the second and third shot.

Shruthi Venkat missed her shot for the Patriots, leaving the door open by just a crack. Gig Harbor’s Taylor Sullivan made her shot, meaning Mylene Aguila just needed to make her shot to win it for Liberty.

Aguila went low and to the keeper’s left and all that was left to do for Liberty was celebrate. But Warns couldn’t tell anyone where it went because she wasn’t looking. “I had my eyes closed. I was closing my eyes, praying to Jesus. I didn’t see it but I heard the net and was like ‘Yes’,” Warns said.

Peyton Warns gives a smile after saving a penalty. Ben Ray / The Reporter

The phrase “we’ve been here before” echoed throughout postgame conversations amongst Liberty players. Nothing has fazed this team so far and their experiences behind the eight ball have shaped this Liberty side. “After they scored that tying goal, we were saying we just needed to stay calm and do what we know how to do because we have nothing to fear,” Warns said

“It’s nothing we haven’t seen before,” said Sato.

Now they have a chance at another test: revenge against the team that sent them packing last season, Eastside Catholic.

“We want to beat them, we are ready for it,” all three players said almost in sync.

Liberty takes on the Crusaders at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup on Nov. 21, with kickoff at 7 p.m.