1977

Down 2-0 to Portland at home and winless in the first three games, Sounders coach Jimmy Gabriel inserts himself into the game in the second half, sparking a three-goal fight back. Paul Crossley ties it and David Butler scores twice, netting the winner in the 86th minute.

A flurry of eight shots in the final minutes does not produce the game-tying goal, and SPU succumbed to top-ranked Alabama A&M, 2-1, in the NCAA Division II championship game in Miami. The Bulldogs go in front, 2-nil, on deflection and a rebound. Servando Rivera’s penalty in the 82nd minute queued the late rally. Earlier, the Falcons miss a penalty attempt. Scott Chase is named the game’s defensive MVP.

Jimmy McAlister becomes the first Washington native to earn a cap for the U.S. National Team. Fresh from being named NASL Rookie of the Year, McAlister, 20, comes on as a substitute in 2-1 win over El Salvador in San Salvador.

Mueller Barons win the State Challenge Cup over Ghirardelli following an 11-round penalty kick tiebreaker at Memorial Stadium. Ghirardelli erases a 2-0 halftime deficit on goals by Kit Zell and Dave Ellis. Barons had gone ahead through Kelly Gordon and Tim Allen. Ed Tonkin scores the decisive penalty.

Three red cards – players on each side as well as the Lancers’ trainer – and eight yellows are issued by referee Henry Landauer in Seattle’s 2-1 loss at Rochester. Dave Gillett, the Sounders’ ejection, needed a security escort past 50 belligerent fans. The game was halted for 10 minutes to restore order after Gillett and the Lancers’ Ibrahim Silva scuffled, before Mel Machin decked Silva. Adrian Webster had been stretchered off with a knee injury beforehand. A total of 55 fouls were whistled.

Tacoma’s Franklin Pierce Stadium hosts North American Youth Championships for U16 boys. KCPQ airs nine hours of same-day telecasts with Bob Robertson delivering play-by-play. Virginia won the U.S. tournament and Ontario the Canadian. The Tacoma Kickers represent Washington and got four tournament goals from Chris Hellenkamp.

Seattle native Jimmy McAlister, 20, is voted NASL Rookie of the Year. McAlister, who grew up in West Seattle and attended Kennedy High School, was also named to the NASL all-star third team. “I didn’t come out of college like the No. 1 draft choices. I just came out of high school. Gabriel and Bobby Howe really put me in over my head, but they had confidence in me,” said McAlister.

In the final competitive game for legendary Pele´, the star-studded New York Cosmos defeat the underdog Sounders, 2:1, before a Portland record crowd of 35,548 in Soccer Bowl. Seattle’s tying goal by Tommy Ord is scored while the TVS broadcast is in commercial break. Steve Buttle bits the post with 7 minutes left after earlier equalizing attempts by Mike England and Dave Gillett hit the post and are saved, respectively. “David did not beat Goliath,” writes The Times.

Todd Schilperoort’s goal in the third overtime period gives Seattle Pacific a 2-1 win over Wisconsin Green Bay in the NCAA semifinal in Miami. Marty Shaw had saved a penalty shortly after Green Bay canceled out Servando Rivera’s opener.

Tommy Ord scores Sounders’ historic first hat trick in 4-1 win over Connecticut Bicentennials at New Haven’s Yale Bowl. All three goals from less than 6 yards out. Ord had been acquired from Vancouver only eight days earlier.

Newport Bombers win fifth straight state title, this time as U19 girls, with 6-5 double overtime win (after trailing 5-3 with 2 minutes to go) over Highline Dirty Dozen at Renton Stadium.

Dan Vaughn completes his career as Washington’s scoring leader, getting his 16th of the year and 52nd overall to open the 4-1 victory over Seattle University at Husky Stadium.

TVS, which syndicates NASL national telecasts, instructs KIRO 7 to delay broadcast of the Sounders-Cosmos game for one week. Short of a sellout, crowd of 41,720 sees Seattle beat Pele´, Franz Beckenbauer & Co., 1-0. KIRO, which argued for an 11-hour delay, opts not to show week-old replay.

Seattle gets a 13th minute header from Jocky Scott, and Adrian Webster marks out L.A. star George Best as the Sounders defeat the Aztecs, 1-0, before a raucous crowd of 56,256 to advance to Soccer Bowl. A potential late equalizer by Des Backos bounces behind goal line but is ruled out.It is the fifth straight win in the playoffs.