Washington hadn’t faced an opponent like No. 3 Clinton since Sept. 16 when it traveled to an elite First Flight club. The second-seeded Pam Pack welcomed the challenge presented in Saturday’s fourth-round game.

Coach Jim Kozuch and the players came together about an hour prior to the game. They hung out and kicked the ball around to prepare themselves physically and mentally. The Pam Pack were driven by an anxious energy, which is exactly what Kozuch hoped for.

“I think the guys were excited,” he said. “Some of the guys have been here before. We were in the fourth round last year. I think that if you’re not nervous, you’re too comfortable. No one was too comfortable.”

The first 25 minutes unfolded exactly as one would expect. The Pam Pack and Dark Horses battled back and forth before the home side broke through. Set pieces continued to pay off when they were awarded a throw in deep in Clinton territory. Ben McKeithen hurled the ball into the box. Clinton goalkeeper Gary Sutter failed to punch the ball away. It ended up on Holt McKeithen’s foot and he buried it.

“I don’t know what to say. I was just hoping to be the first one to put on up on the board,” Kozuch said. “A team like (Clinton), if you can put the first one up, it’s a huge stress reliever. It takes a lot of pressure off the guys.”

It was the third consecutive game that the senior defender tallied a goal. His contributions on offense may not be expected, per se, but are certainly appreciated. What is expected is the leadership he helps provide on the back end.

“I’m not surprised by it,” Kozuch said. “I don’t want to say I expected it, but he’s that guy that will come through. A lot of the guys understand what’s at stake. He stepped up just like a lot of other guys did.”

But they still weren’t comfortable. A one-goal lead wouldn’t put away North Carolina’s second-ranked 2-A team. That’s why the Pam Pack didn’t take their foot off the gas. Minutes after McKeithen’s goal, Freddy Jimenez lobbed the ball over the top to Rob Zerniak, who put it away.

Clinton broke through in the 32nd minute. Andrew Warren was in against one Pam Pack defender. He shot the ball from the right side into the far bottom corner, cutting his team’s deficit to just one goal.

That didn’t last for long. Zerniak scored his fourth goal in two games to reclaim a two-goal lead for Washington. He’s scored plenty of goals in a Pam Pack uniform, but this may have been his nicest. He had a pass led in front of him at the top of the box, took his time approaching it and unleashed a laser into the top-right corner.

“Rob’s scored a lot of goals for us this year, but none as big as these ones,” Kozuch said. “That’s the shot of a lifetime for him right there. It was awesome.”

Washington’s 3-1 halftime lead would stand as the final score, too. Clinton’s counter attack produced some quality looks in the second half, but none of them found their way to the twine behind William Tate.

Having the two-goal lead allowed the Pam Pack to focus more on defense. Kozuch moved Kyle Hodges back into a defending role. They were able to intercept passes in the midfield and blocked plenty of shots before they even made it to Tate.

Washington hosts its semifinal matchup with No. 5 Dixon on Tuesday. The Bulldogs are also coming off a 3-1 victory in the quarterfinals.

The games get more physical as the Pam Pack creeps closer to their ultimate goal. Tuesday’s matchup shouldn’t be any different.

“We’ve got a bunch of tough guys,” Kozuch said. “They’re ready for whatever anybody wants to bring to them. They’re just ready for everything. Hopefully we keep it physical because I think our guys thrive in that.”