PORT ANGELES — Earlier this season, the Port Angeles soccer boys easily handled Sequim, beating them 4-0.
This is an entirely different Sequim team now.
The Wolves jumped all over the Roughriders, getting out to a quick 3-0 lead and going on to win 5-1 in Tuesday night’s match at Civic Field. The win was Sequim’s sixth straight in league play and puts the Wolves in prime position to win the Olympic League 2A Division championship, with a crucial game coming up Friday away at Kingston that will likely decide the league title.
It was also a record-setting match, with Wolves’ forward Liam Harris scoring his 41st career goal, a new record for most goals at Sequim High School.
“The first time we played Port Angeles [a 4-0 Riders win], it was a big wake-up call,” said Sequim coach Dave Brasher. “You can’t just wander in and play. [That loss] was the impetus for the rest of our season.”
Since that beatdown, the Wolves have not lost a match in league.
“We’ve been looking for this game ever since. We’ve been looking at the calendar for a month,” Brasher said.
Harris broke the Sequim record early, picking up his 41st goal in the 14th minute, knocking in a corner kick from Hayuk Minano.
“Opening goal in Port Angeles, there’s no better time [to break the record],” Harris said.
Sequim started slowly this season, splitting its first four matches in league before getting hot. Harris said it’s a different team now.
“We’re playing as a team. People were playing as individuals [before],” he said.
And the goal for the Wolves now? They’ve all but locked up postseason.
“We want to go to state and we want to beat Kingston on Friday,” Harris said.
Port Angeles coach Chris Saari said the Riders will look to regroup and come back battling for third in the Olympic League 2A.
With the win, the Wolves (8-2, 9-3-2, 24 points) are all alone in second place in league, one game behind Kingston (9-1, 11-3, 26 points), who Sequim beat earlier this season. Sequim plays Kingston on the road at 6:45 p.m. Friday. If Sequim wins that match, they would have 27 points to Kingston’s 26 (and two wins against Kingston), with one league game left at home against a relatively weak Bremerton squad that Sequim beat earlier this season 8-1.
Early pressure
The Wolves put constant pressure on the Port Angeles defense early, with Ryan Tolberd using his speed to create havoc down the right wing. Tolberd set up numerous scoring opportunities and repeatedly had the Rider defenders on their heels.
Sequim scored its first three goals on set pieces. After Harris’ goal, creating havoc down the right wing, Michael McAleer scored a goal in the 24th minute with an assist to Tolberd.
Tolberd then picked up a goal of his own on a header, with the assist going to Evan James, in the 26th minute.
Early in the match, Port Angeles had a golden opportunity for a goal, with a beautiful long shot by Stuart Methner beating Sequim goalie Liam Stevenson up high. But, the ball hit the crossbar and stayed out.
Later in the second half, Methner had another near goal, but his shot went just over the crossbar. The was the kind of night it was for the Riders.
Port Angeles goalkeeper Lorenzo De La Torre kept his team in the match with a leaping one-handed grab of a high shot and another leaping save on a high rocket from Sequim’s Adrian Funston.
The Riders did fight back and got back in the game when they drew a penalty in the box. Ben Schneider calmly kicked in the penalty kick to make it 3-1 in the 68th minute, with time remaining for a Port Angeles comeback.
Sequim quickly squelched any comeback thoughts, however, scoring a goal in the 71st minute from Funston, with an assist to McAleer. The Wolves completed the scoring on a corner from Minano to Mathew Craig in the 76th minute.
Minano ended the match with two assists, while Tolberd had a goal and an assist.
“Gabe Long did well for Port Angeles, winning balls in the back and weaving through Sequim defenders,” said Riders coach Chris Saari. He also said the Riders saw Hollund Bailey return to limited action after being out with a knee strain that happened before spring break.
The game was rough, with Tolberd, Harris and Port Angeles’ Cameron Butler all having to be helped off the field. Harris came back in to finish the match.
Port Angeles (6-4, 9-4-1, 19 points) plays at North Mason (2-8, 3-8-2, 6 points) at 6:45 p.m. Friday, then finish the regular season at North Kitsap on Monday in a match that will likely be for third place.
