Granite Bay advances with 1-0 win over Atwater

Granite Bay's varsity boys' soccer team did everything but score a goal for the first 66 minutes of their game against Atwater on Tuesday night, before Selman Suma finally put the ball in the back of the net off a corner kick with 13 minutes and change remaining. The goal was the only goal of the game that Granite Bay won 1-0, thereby advancing to Thursday's semifinal round where they will play Woodcreek, who were 1-0 winners over Jesuit. Granite Bay had all the chances in the first half in which they could have scored at least four goals, but either just missed the net or hit the ball right at the Atwater goalie. Treyson Barnes put an opportunity over the net. Suma kicked one right at the keeper, while Siraj Sekhon just missed the net to the right. Another Granite Bay player put a shot off the crossbar. In the second half, Jaber Sereis crossed one in front of the net that just missed the far corner and was too fast for Mark Buzian to get to for the tap in. Sereis had a second shot in the second half saved by the keeper before the Grizzlies finally got on the scoreboard with about 13:30 to play in the game. A Granite Bay corner kick came into the box from Barnes and was right in front of Suma. "There was just a mess in the box and then I saw the ball right in front of me," Suma said. "I just tried my hardest to stick it in the goal. "There was a little bit of frustration up to that point, but we knew we could get it done." Like all soccer teams, the Grizzlies, at times, have trouble scoring. "We had so many chances in the first half and couldn't convert them," Granite Bay coach Paul Valdez said. "That's been a common theme. I feel like we're leaving a lot of goals on the field right now. The boys are always gritty, though, and they play good defense and they pulled out a win." Now the next challenge for the Grizzlies is to find a way to beat Woodcreek, who knocked the Grizzlies out of the playoffs a year ago. "I think we can win a section championship," Suma said. "We're definitely good enough. We work hard and we're good teammates and we love the game." In Division 1 action, Oak Ridge defeated top-seed Inderkum 2-2 (10-9 in PKs) to advance after blowing a 2-0 lead at halftime. They will face either River City or Turlock on Thursday. On the other side of the bracket in Division 2, Rocklin defeated Johansen, while Pitman beat Whitney, 2-1. Rocklin, the No. 2 seed, will host Pitman on Thursday. In Division 3, Vista del Lago lost 1-0 to top-seed River Valley. Roseville also defeated Christian Brothers in penalty kicks, 3-1, and they advance to play No. 2 seed Valley on Thursday. In Division 4, Placer lost to East Union, 5-1.