CHIMACUM — Freshman Andrew Brown scored the only goal as Port Townsend nipped archrival Chimacum 1-0 in nonleague boys soccer action Tuesday.
It was the season opener for both teams on a dry evening but an extremely wet and muddy field.
“It was a sloppy, terrible field,” Port Townsend coach Steve Shively said.
The field had standing water as the grounds crew was trying to sop up excess moisture with cat liter. It didn’t work.
“It was a quagmire with players slipping,” Shively said.
Luckily, there were no injuries as the two youthful teams battled.
The Cowboys have low numbers out with no junior varsity team and just enough players for a varsity squad.
The Redskins, meanwhile, graduated 16 seniors from last year’s team and have just three seniors this year with a couple of freshmen playing up from the JV level in the game.
“A good number of our players were participating in their first varsity start.”
Port Townsend started out slow.
“Our young kids were unsettled at first but they settled down late in the first half and throughout the second half,” Shively said.
One of those youngsters, Brown, scored the winning goal in the second half at the 64th minute on an assist by John Reid.
The Redskins felt good about opening with a win, Shively said.
“We were happy to beat Chimacum because this is our rivalry but this was a preseason game and there is a lot of work to be done,”
he said.
The Redskins dominated the game and outshot the Cowboys 8-1.
Chimacum’s low player numbers hurt it in the end.
“We effectively wore them out in the second half,” Shively said.
The Chimacum goalkeeper helped the Cowboys stay close to the Redskins.
“Their goalkeeper, Dylan Manley, did an exceptional job of stopping our shots,” Shively said.
Between Manley and the sloppy field, the Port Townsend offense struggled.
The Redskins should have scored a couple more goals, though, according to Shively.
Port Townsend, however, probably will have problems scoring in its next game as it travels to always-tough Sequim in a nonleague game tonight.
Sequim 2, Washington 1
TACOMA — Elijah Sanford scored the winning goal as the Wolves opened the 2012 season with the nonleague victory on a snowy and wet field at Washington High School.
“It was a good opener for us,” Sequim coach Dave Brasher said.
“It was snowing a little during the game. We were glad to get the win.”
It was 0-0 at halftime as Byron Boots put the Wolves ahead with a goal on a free kick from 25 yards at the 47th minute.
The Patriots tied it up in the 54th minute on a corner kick but Sanford’s winning kick came on a long free kick at the 64th minute.
Sequim outshot Washington 7-5.
The Wolves’ defense played well with Sanford, Mitch McHugh, Irons Ring and Waylon Lam all having standout defensive games, according to Brasher.
The Wolves now will host Port Townsend in nonleague action tonight.
The Redskins opened their season by beating archrival Chimacum 1-0.
Port Angeles 1, Kingston 1
PORT ANGELES — The Roughriders and Buccaneers had a kissing-your-sister type of nonleague game Tuesday night.
The teams settled for a tied contest after Abinet Hayden scored in the 20th minute for the Riders and Ansel Hartman scored two minutes later for the Bucs.
Tamrat Haskins had the assist for Port Angeles as the two squads tied 1-all at the break and at the end of regulation.
Hayden was named the offensive player of the game while Max Bukovnik took defensive player of the game honors and Hayden McCartney was selected as the transition player of the game for Port Angeles.
The JV teams, ironically, also tied, but with a 2-2 score.
The Riders, 1-0-1 overall, next will play Klahowya in Silverdale in a nonleague game tonight at Silverdale Stdium.
The JV game starts at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity following at 7:15 p.m.
Hoquaim 2, Forks 0
ABERDEEN — The Spartans stayed with Hoquiam in the opening SWL-Evergreen Division game of the year for both teams Tuesday night.
“Our boys played really well as a team,” Forks coach Brian Bowers said.
“We played good defense, too.”
Chito Uzueta and Chad Gress played strong defense for the Spartans while goalkeeper Josh Rice had 10 saves against Hoquiam.
The league game was held in Aberdeen because Hoquiam’s field was not playable because of the weather.
The Spartans, 0-1 in league and 0-2 overall, next hosts Montesano in league competition Friday night.
Baseball
Weather 3,
Port Townsend 0
PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend baseball team may get a game in yet this year.
But so far, through Tuesday, the Redskins were getting shut out by mother nature.
Nonleague games against Quilcene at home on Saturday, at Coupeville on Monday and a makeup game at Coupeville on Tuesday all were rained out.
“It’s a tough start for Port Townsend baseball,” coach Pat Kelly said.
The Redskins aren’t alone as most baseball and softball games in the area were rained out Monday and Tuesday.
