FORKS — Port Angeles picked up a hard-earned victory and did their best to avoid a wet bus ride home in a 2-0 nonleague boys soccer victory over Forks at Spartan Stadium on Thursday.
The Roughriders (1-0, 2-0) stayed on the good foot to open the season, scoring two first-half goals and holding on defensively in the second half to pick up the win.
“The inclement weather held off until the final whistle and then a hail storm hit as the Riders packed up their equipment and hustled to the bus,” Port Angeles coach Chris Saari said. “The Spartans were a good, skilled passing team and held the Riders scoreless in the second half defensively.”
Port Angeles notched a goal in the 17th minute when Matthew Miller, the Riders’ leading scorer last spring, getting his first goal of the season on a nifty piece of thievery.
“He stole the ball from the Forks senior goalkeeper Juan Terrones outside the box and put the ball into an empty net,” Saari said.
Port Angeles added another score in the 24th minute.
“Oliver Martinez got his first goal of the season also after he faked a shot in the box and then placed a shot low and to the left corner,” Saari said. “Matthew Miller got the assist on Oliver’s goal on a pass that came from the right side into the middle of the box just inside the 18-yard box.”
Miller was Saari’s offensive player of the match, while Martinez was praised for his work in the team’s transition play.
Saari said defenders Grant Butterworth, Taihvan Lyle and Sawyer Davis, along with goalkeeper Gus Halberg, were his defensive players of the match.
A first-year player as a senior, Halberg picked up his first shutout.
“Halberg made a few key saves and did a great job of coming out and collecting long balls into his penalty area,” Saari said of Port Angeles’ All-Olympic League boys basketball honoree.
“Grant Butterworth and Taihvan Lyle both won a lot of headers and tackles at the back for PA,” Saari said.
“Freshman Sawyer Davis stood out again at outside back with his strong defensive play, ball winning and distribution.”
Port Angeles visits East Jefferson today for a 1 p.m. match at Memorial Field in Port Townsend.
Girls Golf Port Angeles 220, Sequim 225
PORT ANGELES — Match medalist Mia Neff carded a round of 50 as the Riders edged their rivals in rough weather at Peninsula Golf Club.
“It was a close match the whole way,” Port Angeles coach Mike DuPuis said. “Played in rain and hail, the conditions were awful.”
Malena Marquez added a 55 for the Riders, while Autumn Wilson Rowland shot 56 and Claire Osterberg a 59.
Kendra Dodson led Sequim with a 51, Raimey Brewer shot 55, Payton Sukert recorded a 59 and Sara German added a 60.
Earlier in the week, Sequim opened with a 217-240 win over Bremerton at Gold Mountain Golf Club.
Dodson posted a 50 to earn medalist honors, while German shot a 53, Ella Hood 56 and Brewer a 58.
Boys Golf Port Angeles 173, Sequim 205
PORT ANGELES — Sequim’s Adrian Aragon earned match medalist honors, but the Port Angeles boys golf team held court in the rain and hail on its home course, besting the rival Wolves in a wet nine-hole match at Peninsula Golf Club on Thursday.
Aragon shot a 5-over-par-41 to lead all players.
Cale Wentz was one stroke back for the Roughriders at 42, while Tate Alton added a 43 and Max Gagnon and Sky Gelder each tallied rounds of 44. Non-scorers for Port Angeles were Austin Worthington (49) and Noah Myers (56)
Sequim’s Cody Dunscomb (52), Joey Kang (54) and Levi Breithaupt (58) all counted toward the Wolves’ total.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
Forks’ Estevan Ramos (2) competes with Port Angeles’ Matthew Miller for the ball on the turf of Spartan Stadium where Port Angeles defeated Forks 2-0. Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News
