Douglas soccer beats McQueen

Douglas is the walking wounded, but it's walking into the Northern 4A semifinals where it will play South Tahoe at 6 p.m. Thursday at Damonte Ranch.

The Tigers won 5-4 in a shootout after battling to a 1-1 tie after 80 minutes of regulation and two 15-minute scoreless overtimes. Michael Gransbery scored the game-winner on the last penalty kick.

Goalie Jose Alcaraz couldn't finish the game as he injured his ribs in a collision in the first overtime. Alcaraz had made 13 saves, including a save on a penalty kick when he dived to his left to stop the shot.

"It was awesome," Douglas coach Milko Vasquez said. "He had a freakin' fabulous game."

Michael Gransbery scored his 29th goal of the year and his 60th of his career in the second half off of an assist by Eddie Vega to give Douglas the lead in the second half. But in the last minute, Douglas was called for obstruction just outside the goal box and McQueen scored off of an indirect kick to force overtime.

Corbin Zumpf replaced Alcaraz, but he had to come out in the second overtime after he injured his hip in a collision. Zumpf made two saves. Douglas finished with Andrew Andraski in the goal.

Gransbery also continued to play with a broken toe and Vega played on a sore ankle. Ross Gardner also had to come out in the second half with a broken nose. "He's a trooper," said Vasquez about Vega. "He played with a lot of pain."

"He wanted to go in there and be the goalie for the shootout," Vasquez also said about Gransbery. "I definitely wasn't going to take that chance."

Edgar Arceo and Derik Cantley converted on the Tigers' first two penalty kicks in the shootout as did McQueen. But McQueen's third shot sailed over the crossbar. Vega, Oscar Gonzalez and Gransbery converted for the win.

Among the players who Vasquez singled out were Arceo, who replaced Gardner at sweeper, Kyle Mannschreck, Cantley and Kyle Gardner.

"We came out and played hard," Vasquez said. "They stayed focused. That's what impresses me, the character they have."