After back-to-back losses that solidified the W.F. West High School boys soccer team’s fate as a pigtail team, they ended the regular season on a high note with a 2-1 (3-2 PKs) triumph over Tumwater on Tuesday night at home.
The Bearcats will be the EvCo’s No. 4 seed for the Class 2A District 4 tournament and will take on Hudson’s Bay on the road on Thursday night. Runners-up last spring, they’ll need to win in order to advance to the double elimination part of the bracket.
“The guys wanted to go out and show we were better than last week,” W.F. West head coach Allen Anderson said. “I looked at last week as a trap week. Hopefully, it made us a stronger team moving forward.”
Tumwater (7-7-2, 6-4 EvCo) struck first on a Lucas Oltion goal off a free kick in the 33rd minute. Anderson changed up the shape and formation in the second half and it led to the Bearcats getting the equalizer on a Gage Grisham penalty kick in the 50th minute.
Julian Casimiro, Rafa Mendez and Alex Mathuzima scored in the shootout for W.F. West (9-6-1, 6-4). Goalkeeper River Haydon came away with two crucial saves to preserve the win.
Since it was senior night, Anderson started every senior and brought up a couple from junior varsity to get minutes. The Bearcats now turn their attention to the playoffs.
“They’re a lot better than their record shows. Generally a pretty solid team, more on the physical side,” Anderson said of Hudson’s Bay. “The parity of our league has prepared us well. I know it is not going to be an easy match.”
Tumwater, which clinched the league title last week, will host a district quarterfinal game on Saturday.
