5/12/16

The District 4 1A Soccer Tournament entered its 2nd round, the Semi-Final round with the winner’s from each match advancing to the District Championship and an entry to the State Tournament while the losers will have to battle on Saturday in a loser out, winner to State game. Below are both our stories with photo gallery.

Game 1: United 3, White Salmon 1

(Montesano, WA) These 2 teams had met each other twice already in Trico league play with similar results, they split the series but the visitor’s won each time and both times the losing team scored first. The Bruins dared to challenge that script and went ahead and scored 1st in just the 7th minute when Ivan Cortes broke free and a United defender whiffed on an attempted block and Cortes went far post on United Keeper Nolan Patching for the score and it was 1-0.

United would tie the match in the 20th minute when Jonathan VanVleck scored with a great pass from Adair Garribay. Garribay led VanVleck perfectly and Jonathan hammered it in for the equalizer tying the game 1-1. The 2 teams would battle back and forth for the final 20 minutes with some strong runs but both keepers Patching for United and Leo Guerrero for White Salmon and their back lines held firm and we would head to the break all even 1-1.

The 2nd half played out much like the final 20 minutes of the 1st half with missed opportunities and strong defense until the 69th minute when VanVleck would float a beautiful crossing pass to Gustavo Barragan who pounded it into the net giving United a huge 2-1 lead with about 10 minutes to play. This would also win our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game.

The 2 would team up again in a virtually identical play in the 72nd minute and VanVleck passed the ball to Barragan who did not disappoint and pretty much iced the game giving United a 3-1 lead and indeed that would hold up for the final score.

United advances to the District Championship match on Saturday but more importantly have qualified for the State Tournament. White Salmon is still alive and will have to play on Saturday in a loser out, winner to State match. Our Tommy Lowe of the Greene Realty Group Players of the Game go to United’s Jonathan VanVleck and the Bruins Ivan Cortes.

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Game 2: La Center 2, Hoquiam 1 (Shoot-out 4-3)

(Montesano, WA) In game 2 of our double header Hoquiam and La Center had faced off earlier in the season and the Wildcats posted a 1-0 victory. Much had changed since that meeting back in March and now this match was for a trip to the District Championship and the State Tournament.

La Center would get an early leg up in the 5th minute when Grizzlies Keeper Tahj Malone got caught in no-man’s land and came out of the box too far opening the door for Jordan Vazquez who easily kick the ball into the net and in just the 5th minute the Wildcats had a 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats would continue to pressure while Hoquiam looked a bit out of sync but scrambled time and again to keep the score 1-nil all the way to the break.

In the 2nd half both teams defenses dug in and had good runs and opportunities but it began to look like the early  La Center goal just may hold up especially after Joseph McManus cleared a shot after Cats keeper Sergio Sandoval got caught in the upper box. McManus swooped in and saved the goal.

Then in the 67th minute the door was opened for Hoquiam when they got fouled in the box and were awarded a penalty kick. Shane Murphy did not miss for the Grizzlies and the match was tied at 1-1. Both sides scrambled but as time ran out the deadlock remained and they headed off to overtime.

In the first OT Jordan Vazquez nearly ended it just as the 5-minute time period expired missing a great opportunity trying to flip the ball over the keeper. They would play through the 2nd OT still deadlocked and the game was headed for a shoot-out.

Hoquiam would go first and Shane Murphy fired but it would hit just under the cross bar and bounce out no good. Jared Cox was 1st for La Center but he sent it high and over the bar and after the 1st round it was 0-0. In the 2nd round both Connor Darras for Hoquiam and Austin Taylor for the Wildcats connected to make it 1-1. In the 3rd round for the Grizzlies Carlos Juarez fired but pulled it high and wide missing while La Center’s Alec Watkins connected giving the Cats a 2-1 lead.

In the 4th round, Allan Burnett for Hoquiam and Hunter Leach for the Wildcats both scored and it was 3-2 La Center going into the final round. Hoquiam’s Tigre Falla would hit his shot setting up the final Wildcats attempt for the win. La Center’s keeper Sandoval would line-up to take the potential game winning shot in a keeper-vs-keeper showdown. Sandoval let fly and knocked it past Malone to his right and the game was over with La Center winning the shoot-out 4-3. The winning shot would also win our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game.

La Center now faces United on Saturday for the District Title and have now qualified for the State Tournament. Hoquiam will face White Salmon in a winner to State and loser out match on Saturday. Our Tommy Lowe of the Greene Realty Group Players of the Game went to Hunter Leach for La Center and Hoquiam’s Shane Murphy.

Photo Gallery