Palo Verde girls survive semifinal thriller to reach D-III state final

PHOENIX – Palo Verde's girls soccer team has warm up shirts that read “2/12 WF” and with a 4-3 semifinal win over top-seeded Phoenix North Canyon, the Titans made that a reality.

Well, mostly.

The Arizona Interscholastic Association moved the Division III state championship match at Gilbert Williams Field from Friday to Saturday Feb. 13, but the No. 4 Titans (23-1) held up their end of the deal with an overtime win over North Canyon on Tuesday night at Phoenix Xavier.

It’s Palo Verde’s third championship match appearance in the last decade.

“It’s either third time’s a charm or three strikes you’re out,” said Palo Verde coach Jim Mentz said. “We lost the first two, I hope the third time’s a charm.”

Palo Verde won its sixth straight thanks to a hat trick by freshman forward Marilyn McFeaters and the game winning goal in the 96th minute by junior forward Jackie Igulu.

“It’s amazing,” Igulu said. “Honestly, I couldn’t do it. I had a bad game but through my teammates’ good work and hard work I was able to get that last goal and get us that winning goal, so it feels great.”

Palo Verde faces No. 7 seed Fountain Hills in the championship match at 4 p.m. Fountain Hills won the 2014 state championship and lost the 2015 title match to Walden Grove in penalty kicks.

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“I’m ready to cry,” McFeaters said with a laugh. “It’s really exciting, like Jackie said before, ‘We’re on to the ship.’ I think we can take the whole thing honestly, no matter who we play; we have a really good team this year.”

McFeaters scored in the 16th minute, then North Canyon (19-2) tied it in the 38th. Then, McFeaters scored again in the 62nd but the Rattlers found the equalizer in the 71st minute.

“I think the team earned them honestly,” McFeaters said about her free kick goals. “I just finished them off. Jackie took most of the blows, everyone worked their hardest to get those free kicks and with out them we wouldn’t have won.”

In overtime, McFeaters scored in the 84th minute but North Canyon again tied it, this time a minute later. With the game seemingly headed to penalty kicks, Igulu scored her 62nd goal of the season, extending her state record.

Palo Verde out-shot North Canyon 24-17.

“That felt like a final game right there but we still have the one goal in mind,” Mentz said.

Saturday’s match will be Igulu’s first ever championship match.

“It’s really great,” Igulu said. “They’re the No. 1 seed but to us the number doesn’t matter right now, it’s just us playing, so we’re here to play and we’re here to get that 'ship.”