Summit's Luca Gatto (7) run past La Salle Prep's Declan O'Brien (17) during Tuesday's 5A semifinal match in Bend. The Storm won 2-1.

Summit is headed to the boys soccer state championship match for the fourth time in the last six years.

The Storm overcame some demons from last season to defeat La Salle Prep 2-1 on Tuesday night in a Class 5A state semifinal soccer match at Summit High School.

Last season the Storm lost a heartbreaker to West Albany in the 5A semifinals at home in the snow.

This time conditions were partly sunny with temperatures in the low 40s, and Summit had little trouble dispatching the Falcons to reach the 5A state title game, set for Sherwood High School on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Storm (14-1-3) will be playing for their third state championship, having won the 6A state title in 2021 and the 5A championship in 2013. They were 6A state runners-up in 2018 and 2019.

No. 2 Summit will play No. 8 Hood River Valley, which defeated No. 13 Wilsonville 2-1 in the other semifinal on Tuesday night.

The Storm scored in the 3rd and 15th minute, then held a 2-0 lead for most of the match before No. 3 La Salle (14-4-0) scored with 2:30 left in the match.

“(La Salle) played a great game, but it was just resiliency and effort throughout the whole game for us,” said Summit senior midfielder Bowen Teuber, who scored in the team’s first goal to give the Storm an early lead.

“We showed that we did not want to lose that game. We put everything on the line.”

Teuber said the loss in last year’s semifinals stung well into this season.

“We tried not to dwell on it, but it was definitely on our minds,” he said.

“We didn’t want that to happen again. This was one of the best defensive performances for us this season.”

Summit came out aggressive on Tuesday night, and that aggression paid off with Teuber’s goal, which he scored by following up a teammate’s shot that went off the hands of La Salle’s goalkeeper.

The Storm then doubled its lead when freshman Quentin Swanston found the ball off a pass from Cole Bradley and blasted it into the top corner of the net in the 15th minute.

Summit has made a habit of getting early leads in matches.

“That was our ninth game with a goal inside of five minutes,” said Summit coach Tom Bunnell. “That’s the best team we’ve faced. They controlled the possession, so we had to earn it. They were just really, really solid with their possession. For us to defend the way we did was incredible.”

While the Falcons controlled possession, they did not get many shots on goal. The ones they did were saved by Summit goalkeeper Lucas Carter, who made several diving saves, including one in the 60th minute and one in the 63rd minute off a header from La Salle.

With 2:30 left, La Salle’s Kevin Serrano-Maldonado found a wide open Cooper Eldon off a free kick and Eldon scored to make it 2-1.

But the Falcons could not find the equalizer and the Storm are back in the state title match.

“(La Salle) played a great game, but it was just resiliency and effort throughout the whole game for us. We showed that we did not want to lose that game. We put everything on the line.”

— Summit senior midfielder Bowen Teuber, who scored in the 3rd minute