PORT TOWNSEND — Going up against a highly skilled player for Seattle Christian, the East Jefferson Rivals mounted a furious rally and made a game of it late before falling in the end 3-2.
“They had a player [Olari Parodi] who was the difference,” said coach Robert Cantley. “He was a standout player who could already play in college.”
With the loss, it will be tough for East Jefferson to qualify for the postseason, Cantley said. “We still have a lot to play for. We’re not out of it yet,” he said.
Parodi scored a pair of goals early to give Seattle Christian a 2-0 lead. There was a mini-flurry of goals in the final 15 minutes, started with a goal by East Jefferson. Connor Scanlon got a through ball from Mark Anderson to set him up for a 1-on-1 shot which he booted in the net to make it 2-1.
Seattle Christian responded with an insurance goal about 5 minutes from the final whistle and it turned out the Warriors needed it, as Scanlon scored a second goal for the Rivals in the waning seconds. There wasn’t enough time left for the Rivals to try and force overtime, however.
“When we had to, we defended well as a group,” Cantley said.
He said that in addition to Scanlon’s big game, Isaac Gurney had a solid game on the wing, while McCoy Colvin went in to the game as an emergency defender and played well.
East Jefferson (3-6-1 Nisqually League, 3-7-1 overall) next plays Cascade Christian (6-3-0, 6-3-0) at Port Townsend Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Sequim 2, Kingston 1
KINGSTON — The Sequim soccer team had its hands full with a tough Kingston team, but thanks to a pair of goals from Brandon Wagner, came away with a 2-1 road victory to remain on top of the 2A teams in the Olympic League.
“[Kingston] is a good team, they’re a tough team,” said Sequim head coach Ken Garling. Garling said the Buccaneers had a couple of players who were able to do deep throw-ins.
“The long throw is a set play for them. It was very effective. We had a hard time with it,” Garling said.
Garling said Sequim keeper Jack Van de Wege “had to really adjust to it. He did a good job once he figured it out.”
Wagner got his first goal in the eighth minute on a pass slotted up to him from Kristian Mingoy. “He split two center-backs and put it in,” Garling said.
Wagner got his second goal in the 30th minute when he was fouled in the penalty area and converted the penalty kick.
Kingston came back in the second half, scoring on a corner kick four minutes into the half. Garling said Kingston has some tall players and they were able to head in a good corner.
The Wolves had two or three chances in the second half for an insurance goal but couldn’t get the ball in. “To their credit, they played well,” he said. In addition to Wagner’s big game, Garling said Mekhi Ashby played a good game in the midfield.
With the win, the Wolves remain on top of the 2A schools in the Olympic League at 8-3-0 (8-4-0 overall), with 3A Bainbridge leading the league. Sequim next plays at home at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday against Bremerton (6-4-0, 7-5-0), which is right behind the Wolves in the standings.
