PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles boys soccer team got off to a great start and had some golden chances in the second half, but in the end, a more experienced Klahowya team was able to bury a couple of shots on breakaways for a 3-1 Eagles’ win at Wally Sigmar Field.
Port Angeles had nine shots on goal to Klahowya’s eight what coach Chris Saari called “an end-to-end” game.
“Klahowya is a solid team,” Saari said. “We made a few defensive mistakes and they made us pay for them. We need to shore some things up defensively. We’re still a young team.”
The Eagles forced most of the pressure early in the match, but the Riders’ defense held. Klahowya broke through in the 19th minute on a goal from Oliver Peterson.
Caleb Lagrange was a threat all game for the Roughriders. He made his mark late in the second half on a great solo effort on a long run in the 32nd minute, taking the ball up the gut of Klahowya’s defense, and hitting a 25-yard shot that banked off the far left post and in. The score remained 1-1 at the end of the first half.
The Riders had three golden chances in the second half and could have easily taken a 4-1 lead with a little better luck. The first came on a long, sharp-angle shot from the right side of the field by Lagrange in the 42nd minute that from the sideline looked like it didn’t have a chance. But his shot beat the Klahowya keeper and bounced off the far post and crossbar.
Three minutes later, Port Angeles pulled off a pretty play on a corner kick that required a spectacular save by Klahowya keeper Rezyn Moore. Jacob Weaver took the corner and Kanyon Anderson faked a shot but let the ball go through his legs to Matthew Miller, who got a great shot, but Moore wasn’t fooled by the fake and dove to make the stop.
Anderson had another good chance in the 54th minute on a cross from Lagrange at point-blank range in the penalty box, but his shot went just over the crossbar. Miller had the best chance of all a couple of minutes later, clanging a shot off the crossbar from just outside the box.
Those missed chances came back to haunt the Riders when Klahowya’s Sage Bell scored to make it 2-1. Peterson added an insurance goal for the Eagles in the 73rd minute.
The good news for the Roughriders is that it was a nonleague match. A.J. Martinez injured an ankle late in the game and had to leave but was walking on it afterward.
Saari named Lagrange the offensive player of the match and Grant Butterworth the defensive player of the match. He also named Anderson the transition player of the match.
The Roughriders (1-1, 2-2) will look to bounce back with an Olympic League match at North Mason (0-1, 0-1-1) on Tuesday.
Bellevue Christian 4, East Jefferson 0
PORT TOWNSEND —The East Jefferson boys soccer team lost a Nisqually League game Saturday, getting blanked by Bellevue Christian 4-0 at Memorial Stadium.
“Our boys started off really flat. They [Bellevue Christian] were more hungry and aggressive,” said coach Logan Stegner.
“It wasn’t our best game,” Stegner said. “We’re still trying to find our mojo.”
Stegner said goalkeeper Emilio Lopez played well and “kept us in the game.” He also said Rene Martin and Simon Barlow played well.
The Rivals (1-2, 1-3) next play at Cascade Christian (3-0, 3-0) on Tuesday.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Port Angeles’ Matthew Miller trips over Klahowya goalkeeper Rezyn Moore in a charge to the net on Saturday afternoon in Port Angeles.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Port Angeles’ Jacob Weaver, right, dribbles past Klahowya’s Elijah Body as Klahowya’s Oliver Peterson follows behind on Saturday at Peninsula College.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Port Angeles’ Myles Close, right, settles a loose ball as Klahowya’s Sage Bell, left, tries to get past Close’s teammate Mason Spangler on Saturday in Port Angeles.
