4/13/17

Centralia 3, WF West 0

(Centralia, WA) The Centralia Tigers came into this match just behind Aberdeen and Tumwater and needed a win to keep pace. WF West has struggled and was hoping to break through with their 1st league win. As the match began the Tigers put on a strong offensive push but after several runs they could not break through a stiff Bearcat defense led by Chris Powe, Joe Wahl and keeper Daniel Ford.

Then the script flipped with the Bearcats pushed into Tiger territory but they too were turned away by a stingy defense of Noah Williams, Will Lorton, Mario Marquez and keeper Jesse Vazquez. Then in the 28th minute Centralia would break through when Mario Silva scored after taking in a long pass and flicked it forward split defenders and punched it low and away from an outstretched Ford. The Tigers would take a 1-0 lead to halftime.

In the 2nd half the Bearcats best chance to score came in the 52nd minute when Drew Mann broke free and fired a shot on Vazquez but Vazquez laid out and blocked the attempt denying the goal. This also would be our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game. Had the goal gone in it very well could have changed the rest of the match but instead the Tigers ramped up their effort and dominated the rest of the half.

Johnathen Ruff would knock in an insurance goal for the Tigers in the 59th. Joseph Gonzalez laid up a perfect free kick and Ruff re-directed it past Ford for the 2-0 lead. Ruff would strike again in the 74th minute who was in the right place at the right time knocking in the ball off a misplay by one of the Bearcat defenders and Ford had no chance to knock it down.

The Tigers improved to 3-1 in league play while the Bearcats fell to 0-5. Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game went to Centralia’s Mario Silva and WF West’s Chris Powe.

Photo Gallery