Black Hills scored three times in the opening 25 minutes and then held on to beat Centralia 4-3 at Tiger Stadium Thursday night in Evergreen 2A Conference boys soccer action.
The Tigers, who outshot the Wolves 19-6, chipped away at Black Hills’ three goal lead but couldn’t find the back of the net when it counted.
“I was pretty disappointed that we lost,” said Centralia coach Sue Parke. “But, I’m really happy about the comeback in the second half.”
The Wolves took a 1-0 lead after capitalizing on penalty kick in the 11th minute, then in the 23rd minute Robby Phillips put Black Hills up 2-0 then two minutes later Luis Magana made it 3-0.
“We look so disorganized after the third goal it looked like no one knew what anyone else was doing on the field,” Parke said.
Sam Parke-Fagerness sparked the Tigers comeback when he buried a shot into the far post from 18 yards in the 34th minute for his first goal of the season.
Centralia took the bite out of the Wolves’ offense in the second half, allowing them just one shot on goal. Unfortunately, Black Hills converted its one shot when Fernando Lopez scored on a breakaway.
Prince Gunderson made it a 4-2 game in the 66th minute when he nailed a shot from just outside the penalty box. Clarence Gunderson then scored with 12 seconds left in regulation, but it was too little, too late for the Tigers.
“They finally played like I knew they could in the second half,” said Parke. “If they played like that all the time we would be a lot better off.”
Parke commended the play of defender Johnny Gunderson and Victor Cruz, who Parke explained is one of the most effective midfielders she has at her disposal.
Centralia will host 4A Shelton on Saturday.
Bearcats Fall to Tumwater in Overtime
TUMWATER — The T-Birds scored a golden goal in the final four minutes of overtime to clinch a 3-2 Evergreen 2A Conference win over W.F. West here Thursday night.
The Bearcats, playing without four starters, tied the game up in the 64th minute when an Ian Ward free kick deflected off Edu Leal and into the back of the net to make it a 2-2 game.
Leal then struck again with 10 second remaining in regulation, giving W.F. West coach Tino Sanchez what he thought was the game winner, but the goal was called back due to an offsides violation.
“I was impressed with my guys tonight,” said Sanchez. “Everyone stepped it up and no one came off the field with their heads down.”
Tumwater struck first scoring on a penalty kick in the fourth minute, but the Bearcats responded six minutes later when Dennis Uy scored off of a Zach Flynn through pass.
Sanchez, whose team outshot Tumwater 13-9, commended the play of Sergio Perez and Kyler Huang.
“We used players that we never use before,” said Sanchez. “The guys looked really good tonight.”
W.F. West will travel to Longview to take on R.A. Long tonight at 7 p.m.
