5/6/16

This story will have all 4 results of the 1st round of the District 4, 2A Soccer Tournament. We will also have photo galleries from the games ESN covered and set up the 2nd round.

The District 4 2A Soccer Tournament got underway on Friday night at Centralia because of the huge Freshman Invitational Track Meet set for Tiger Stadium on Saturday. The other 3 1st round matches will be played on Saturday.

Mark Morris 2, Centralia 1

(Centralia, WA) The Mark Morris Monarchs were coming into this match on a defensive hot streak and had not allowed a goal in regulation since April 11th. This was over 7 matches where they went 6-1 with the only loss a shoot-out defeat to League Champion Ridgefield. The Monarch defense would again be stingy shutting out the host Centralia Tigers for the 1st half.

The Tigers were nearly as stingy but a misplay by keeper Jesse Vazquez turned into a heads up play by the Monarchs Spencer Hall. Hall kicked in the loose ball that Vazquez tried to head instead of catch in the box and Mark Morris led 1-0 with less than 2 minutes to play as Hall scored in stoppage time. That would be our score at the break.

In the 2nd half the Tigers pressed more knowing that the Monarch defense simply does not give up many goals and they could ill afford to fall behind by 2. But that’s just what happened in the 61st minute when Scott Matthews fired a shot from outside the box and hit the far post for the 2-0 lead.

The Monarchs’ shut out streak came to an end in the 66th when Centralia’s Laurence Silva fired a crossing shot from the top of the box past Eric Flores. Flores has been the keeper for this run and despite giving up the goal the Monarchs held on for the win.

Mark Morris will now face the winner of Saturday’s match, Aberdeen at Ridgefield while Centralia will get the loser in a loser out match. Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game went to Scott Mathews of Mark Morris and Edgar Bravo for Centralia. The ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game went to Spencer Hall for his 1st goal.

Photo Gallery

Ridgefield 1, Aberdeen 0

(Ridgefield, WA) Ridgefield supporters were not excited that they were going to have to play a team like Aberdeen in the 1st round of Districts after winning the GSHL league title. Aberdeen ended up as the 4th seed from the North after posting a 17-1 season record but since they played in the 1A Evco and not in the Evco 2A they had to take the long route to get to districts including 2 loser-out, play in games which they won this past week. However, with their lone loss to 1A Hoquiam, the Evco 2A did not deem their season exceptional so they were not seeded higher than 4th, forcing the match-up in the 1st round with the Spudders.

As the match began there was a strong wind at the backs of the Bobcats and that wind would prevail throughout the match and made an impact on how the game played out. Aberdeen launched several attacks but outkicked their strikers with the wind until late in the 1st half. Spudder keeper Joe Lindbo was spectacular in the box with several saves especially late in the half.

At the other end of the field Bobcat keeper Alexis Garcia was being challenged by an agressive Spudder offense led by 2-time league MVP Max Hauser. Hauser and company would fire on Garcia time and again but Garcia and a strong back line with Robby Lewis and Jose Rueda also re-directing and holding the Spuds in check. This back and forth resulted in a scoreless tie at the half.

As the 2nd half began both teams had to re-adjust to the wind and now it was Ridgefield over shooting their streaking forwards and Aberdeen having to grind away at working the ball up the field. It was identical to the 1st half with the roles reversed and as the game clock ticked down both teams had adjusted and were making serious runs both both defenses remained stingy. Ridgefield’s back line of Austin Wellman, Jared Pachl and Jonathan Flury were equally as stingy as Aberdeen’s.

The game was decided on a free kick in the 76th minute when the Spudders Flury lined up the kick from about 30-yards out. Flury let loose with a beautiful hooking line-drive over the top of the defenders heads and just out of reach of Garcia to clang in off the left post and in for the only goal in the game. This play was also named our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game.

Ridgefield will now host Mark Morris on Tuesday in the District Semi-Finals and Aberdeen will play at Centralia in a loser out, consolation round game. Our Tommy Lowe of the Greene Realty Group Players of the Game went to Spudder Keeper Joe Lindbo and Aberdeen’s Jose Rueda.

Photo Gallery

RA Long 5, Black Hills 2

(Longview, WA) The Lumberjacks were aggressive early racking up 5 goals in the 1st half while gthe Wolves tried to keep pace with 2. RA Long led 5-2 at the break and that would hold up for the final score. The Lumberjacks will travel to Tumwater on Tuesday in the District Semi-Finals while the Wolves face a loser out vs Woodland.

For more on this match Meg Wochnick from the Daily News was there and you can read her story by clicking here.

Tumwater 2, Woodland 1

(Tumwater, Wa) The T-Birds took a 1-0 lead at the half, added to it to go up 2-0 then withstood a furious comeback by the Beavers where they scored to cut the lead to 2-1 and then got a late PK but missed and the T-Birds held on for the win. Tumwater will host RA Long at Tumwater District Stadium on Tuesday. The Beavers now face Black Hills in a loser out also on Tuesday.

Meg Wochnick from the Daily News has more on this match and you can read that story by clicking here.