The Garfield Bulldogs and Hermiston Bulldogs played each other in the first game of state playoffs of the 2024 season. Garfield had an 11-6-2 record going into this match, and Hermiston 10-10, and while the the visitors hoped to pull off an upset, senior Santiago Vergara‘s brace set the tone en route to a 3-0 win for Garfield.
Vergara’s opened the scoring off of a rebound, but completely outdid himself for the second with a scissor kick to double the advantage. The third and final goal came from senior Imran Rah, who plays midfield/forward for the Bulldogs. The goal was off of another scissor kick that ended the exciting match with a final score of 3-0, Garfield on top. Garfield’s team captains Cooper Haley and Tate Macdonald led the Bulldog’s defense in their ability to keep Hermiston’s offense from scoring and ensuring a shut out for the games outcome.
The game wasn’t as close as expected from these two teams, as Garfield seemed to dominate throughout the whole 90 minutes as reflected in the match’s result. Although both teams have incredible skill and team dynamic, Garfield proved to be the better team through their constant hold of possession and impressive goals.
The Garfield Bulldogs took the win and are now standing at a 12-6-2 record overall. This tough loss for Hermiston wrapped up their 2024 season with a 10-10 overall record. Garfield will go on to play Silas High School on Friday, May 17th, 7pm at Stadium High School.
