POULSBO — Sequim’s second-half equalizer came off the scoreboard and the Wolves fell 3-2 on the road in a girls soccer showdown with first-place North Kitsap on Tuesday.
“We had an opportunity on a corner kick,” coach Ken Garling said. “Raimey [Brewer] put it in, there was a scrum and Taryn Johnson found the back of the net. Unfortunately, the goal was called off due to interference with the goalkeeper. It was a deflating moment for the girls. We didn’t think it was a good call at the time and when I watch the replay … my goodness.”
Second-place Sequim (9-2-0, 9-2-0) opened the match exactly as the Wolves wanted with Jenny Gomez scoring, assisted by Libby Turella.
“We went down with the mindset that we knew we could compete with NK,” Garling said. “We wanted to get a goal out of the gate and set the tone and we did in the third or fourth minute. Jenny Gomez got a nice feed in from our center back Libby Turella. Libby saw her and gave her a nice ball over the top and Jenny turned on it quickly and fired it with her right foot.”
The Vikings (12-0-0, 12-1-0), ranked No. 5 in the Class 2A RPI, soon answered the Sequim score with a pair of their own.
“NK is a good team and you have to really stay on your guard,” Garling said. “They came down about the 11th minute and we gave up a corner and we left an NK player unmarked in box, and when you do that, they will find the back of the net.”
Vikings striker Evelyn Beers notched the first of her two goals in the 26th minute to go up 2-1 on the Wolves at half.
Beers found the net quickly after Sequim’s second goal was disallowed for a 3-1 North Kitsap lead in the 54th minute.
“Our girls continued to fight,” Garling said. “Gomez had a really good assist up to Taryn, a square pass, and she found a little window and snuck the ball into the keeper’s right in the 70th minute.”
Sequim tried its best to notch the score late.
“We pressed and were going for it, we moved a defender up and I think it was one of those games where if we had four or five more minutes we would have tied it up,” Garling said.
Sequim, ranked No. 13 in the RPI, visits Bainbridge (10-3, 10-4-1) tonight.
Port Angeles 2, Olympic 0
BREMERTON — Roughriders coach Daniel Horton was pleased at how his players handled an improved Trojans team.
“We came out at the start and played really well,” Horton said. “There was a 10-minute chunk of some of our best soccer. We were orderly and they took what they’ve been working on in practice and put it together in action against another team.”
Teanna Clark scored in the second minute off of an assist from Kedryn Descala.
Freshman Sophie Ritchie scored her first varsity goal in the 37th minute, assisted by Paige Mason.
Kennedy Rognlien saved one shot on goal to earn the clean sheet.
“It’s been really good to have her step up in a leadership role, communicating strongly on the field,” Horton said. “Our defense played well and limited their attack to almost nothing.”
Port Angeles (7-5-0, 7-5-0), solidly in fourth place in the Olympic League, hosts North Kitsap (12-0-0, 12-1-0) at 6:45 p.m. today on senior night for Mason, Izzy Felton and Maeve Croteau.
East Jefferson 5, Cascade Christian 2
PORT TOWNSEND — Iris Mattern led the Rivals with two goals and an assist and Ava Shiflett also scored twice in a senior night victory.
“The girls were pretty jazzed,” coach Robert Cantley said.
“Iris and Ava have been shining lights. I can’t say enough about what they’ve done for the program. We’d be a different team without them,” Cantley said.
Senior Ellise Gardner, who joined the team after hurting her shoulder in volleyball, added her first goal and an assist.
“She got the goal that her hard work has deserved,” Cantley said. “I kind of wish I had her on the team all four years.”
Senior Mi Amada Lanphear Ramirez also played well.
“She’s been an unsung hero for us at defensive midfielder,” Cantley said.
Audrey Matthes, another talented Rivals senior, also was honored Tuesday night.
The Rivals (3-7-1, 3-9-1) visit Klahowya (9-0-0, 12-0-0) tonight.
In other games, Forks beat Ilwaco 3-0 on Monday night.
