Federal Way soccer falls in second round of districts

Eagles doubled their win total from last season.

By Benjamin Ray • May 15, 2025 8:23 am

Last season, Federal Way High School’s boys soccer team won just four games and finished second to last in the NPSL standings on just 13 points. Only Decatur had fewer points as they finished with just seven points.

The Eagles are now playing in 3A, a step down from 4A, which they played in last year. Under new head coach Pedro Millan, the Eagles won nine games this season and even won a playoff game, which got them to the second round.

Federal Way took on Kent-Meridian for the third time this season, and in their most recent game against the Royals, the Eagles drew level at 1-1.

“We couldn’t change what happened in the past. We can change what happened in the present and point toward the future. We tried to play the game one minute at a time,” Millan said.

In the first round of the playoffs, the 11th seeded Eagles took on the 14th seeded Timberline Blazers. Federal Way scored four goals in a 4-1 victory over Timberline and set up a date with Kent-Meridian.

But this time around, the Eagles’ dreams of the state tournament came to a halt as Kent-Meridian sent the Eagles home after a 2-1 win on May 13.

“The effort was high on the field. They played hard. It was disappointing in some moments, but it’s part of the game and we just have to move forward,” Millan said.

Kent-Meridian struck first with a goal in the 10th minute from Keilor Garcia, and Federal Way had some opportunities, but just couldn’t capitalize.

“We had our chances and didn’t put it in until the end. They deserved it because they scored more than us,” Millan said.

The Royals came out and scored a second goal in the early stages of the second half from a bit of a misplay by Federal Way’s left back, who headed a cross back across goal, which set up the Kent-Meridian goal.

From that moment forward, the Eagles were in desperation mode and just couldn’t crack the code to get back in the game against the Royals.

But it could have been much worse for Federal Way, as the Royals kept shooting and threatening to extend the lead to three or four goals, if not for goalkeeper Emanuel Puentes Garcia in between the posts.

“In the regular season, he made saves like that and it would give us momentum. Today he made three or four saves that could have made the game three or four to zero. He blocked everything, he had the cape of a superhero today,” Millan said.

Federal Way eventually was able to have the ball bounce their way, literally. On a corner kick, the Royals couldn’t quite get the ball out of the 6-yard box, and on a clearance kick, sophomore Donovan Avara just blocked the ball and it went into the back of the net.

Two minutes later, the referee’s whistle blew, meaning the Eagles’ season had come to a close. But this Federal Way team had a lot to be proud of in Millan’s eyes.

“I’m super proud because they believe in each other and the culture that I wanted to execute. I just wanted them to change the present for the future,” Millan said.