FORKS — The Forks boys soccer team had its best game of the year, according to coach Ismael Ramos, but couldn’t overcome a slow start against 1A Tenino in a 5-3 loss Monday.
“Actually, I think we played great,” Ramos said. “We passed the ball so well. That was the best game we’ve seen all season.”
Forks, though it is a 2B school now, plays in a hybrid 1A/2B league for soccer with the Spartans’ old Evergreen League opponents in the league. Tenino got two goals in the first 12 minutes. “We started a little shaky,” Ramos said.
After the slow start, the Spartans played Tenino even. The Spartans got their first goal in the 23rd minute on a “beautifully placed ball” by Arturo Dominguez to Margarito Gonzalez with Dominguez picking up the assist.
In the 12th minute of the second half, Onyx Raupp hit a left-footed shot from beyond 18 yards with “a lot of power behind it.” The ball hit the crossbar but bounced into the net. That goal was unassisted.
The Spartans’ third goal came on a penalty kick after Tenino had a hand ball on a free kick. Jesus Garcia Dominguez took the PK and got the ball through the Tenino goalkeeper.
Monday’s game was the only sporting event on the Olympic Peninsula due to heavy rain most of the day. Baseball games and tennis matches were postponed.
The Spartans (1-7, 1-7) next play at Hoquiam (5-2, 5-3) today. Hoquiam beat Forks 2-1 early this season, but since then, Forks has improved. “We should do much better this time,” Ramos said.
