BREMERTON — A 3-1 road loss to Bremerton has the Port Angeles boys soccer team on the outside looking in at a chance in the postseason.
“PA is sitting outside the playoff picture in the Olympic League standings now with another shot at Bremerton on Tuesday on PA’s Senior Night,” coach Chris Saari said. “The Riders will try to get a win Tuesday and hope for an possible wild card birth into the playoffs via RPI rankings.”
Against the Knights on Thursday, the Roughriders yielded an eighth-minute goal, but rallied for a halftime tie.
“PA answered back in the 23rd minute to tie the score at 1-1 on a nice cross from the right side from Dayton Williams to Xander Maestas who was able to finish after his first shot came back to him,” Saari said.
The Riders kept it 1-1 until the 67th minute when the ball was turned over in the defensive third and hit from long range to the far post past second half PA goalie Logan Desser.
“Logan had made three big goal-saving saves in the second half to keep PA in the game, but he got himself out of position on the third goal and Bremerton capitalized on the mistake,” Saari said.
The Riders (4-9, 5-9) attempted to rally late, but couldn’t find the net despite some long-range attempts by Williams.
Saari said Maestas (offense), Desser (defense) and Williams (transition) were his players of the match.
East Jefferson splits
VASHON — East Jefferson split a pair of contests this week, earning some payback for an early season defeat to Cascade Christian with a 6-2 triumph and falling in a close contest to No. 9 Vashon 3-1.
Connor Scanlon had a big week, scoring five goals against Cascade Christian and the Rivals’ goal against the Pirates.
“He had a first-half hat trick,” coach Rob Cantley said.
Two of the scores came off of set pieces.
“His second came on a free kick where he was able to clean it up and tap it in,” Cantley said. “He got another on a corner kick when the ball was flopping around inside and he poked it home.”
Mark Anderson added the other goal for the Rivals.
Against Vashon, Scanlon scored off a quick free kick from Sean Botkin to knot the score at 1-all early on.
Vashon grabbed the go-ahead goal just before halftime and an insurance tally with a few minutes left in the second half.
“It sounded like a close one all the way,” Cantley, who missed the road contest, said. “We stayed aggressive and made Vashon work for the win.”
East Jefferson (4-7-1, 4-8-1) visits Life Christian today.
Kingston at Sequim, ppd.
SEQUIM — A lack of transportation forced the Buccaneers to postpone the match which was rescheduled for 12:45 p.m. May 7.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@peninsuladaily news.com.
