FORKS — Every North Olympic Peninsula boys soccer team qualified for the postseason with Forks becoming the last of the four teams by shutting out Evergreen League foe Elma 2-0 to advance to the Southwest District IV Tournament.
The game amounted to a loser-out game with a playoff berth on the line for both the Spartans (10-6, 10-7) and Eagles (9-7).
Forks visits TriCo 1A-champion Columbia (White Salmon) today for a game at 2 p.m.
“Our guys came in with a great mindset, prepared and ready to battle with a strong Elma team and we did,” Forks coach Ismael Ramos said.
Ramos said the game also doubled as senior night for goalkeeper Juan Terrones, Mateo Lucas, Brody Owen and JaiAlexander Leavitt-Ward.
“They were very excited, the seniors were freshmen the last time we made the postseason, so they are excited about being back in it,” Ramos said.
Forks went up about halfway through the first half.
“The whole game was pretty back and forth,” Ramos said. “In the first half, we scored in the 19th minute when Margarito Gonzalez sent in a corner kick and Luis Ornelas was there to poke the ball in at the far post.”
The Spartans made an adjustment in the second half that lead to the team’s second score.
“We knew they would come out aggressive in the second half and they were playing in a formation with five back and two right and left wings moving up high, so we knew we could exploit the width of the field,” Ramos said.
Lucas assisted on the second goal.
“Mateo Lucas was able to chip the ball over the goalkeepers’ head to Eduardo Colmo for a goal,” Ramos said.
“Our defense was great all night and Juan Terrones had some amazing saves to keep them at zero. Brody Owen also played really smart yesterday, at center back.”
Bellevue Christian 2, East Jefferson 1
BELLEVUE — The Rivals held the lead for much of the contest but couldn’t hang on in the final moments.
The game decided playoff seeding, with East Jefferson (4-3-1, 10-4-2) taking the Nisqually League’s fourth seed.
The Rivals host a loser-out playoff game today against Seattle Christian (8-5-3) at 10 a.m. at Peninsula College.
“Unfortunately we didn’t have the greatest game, Bellevue was much more intense than we were,” coach Logan Stegner said.
“Historically, we’ve never beaten Bellevue and it creeps in the back of the mind of our players.”
Stegner said East Jefferson went up 1-0 on a Jameson Henery goal in the first 10 minutes but gave up two goals in the final 15 minutes.
“Our discipline in clearing the ball broke down and we made two crucial mistakes in a row,” Stegner said.
Bainbridge-NK split title
POULSBO — Bainbridge will have to share the Olympic League boys soccer title with North Kitsap after the Spartans were found to have used a medically ineligible player in a May 1 contest.
The Kitsap Sun reported league athletic directors voted this week to declare Bainbridge’s 4-3 overtime win over North Kitsap on May 1 a forfeit win for the Vikings after Bainbridge used an ineligible player during the game in Poulsbo.
Bainbridge athletic director Luke Ande reported the violation. The player in question, who had been dealing with a significant existing injury prior to the game, failed to be medically cleared to participate in the contest against North Kitsap.
Softball Port Angeles 12, Bremerton 2
PORT ANGELES — Lynzee Reid homered for the second straight game and earned the win in the circle for the Riders at Dry Creek Elementary on Thursday.
Reid knocked a two-run home run and tossed three innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
Abby Kimball was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Heidi Leitz tripled for the Riders.
Sophia Ritchie threw a clean inning with a strikeout and freshman Juno Rognlien struck out a pair of batters in one inning pitched.
Port Angeles (11-1, 14-2) hosts Kingston on Monday.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
