The Centralia College men’s soccer team didn’t exactly ease into its inaugural season, and Everett — ranked fifth in the NWAC coming into the fall — made sure to show the new CC side what a contender looked like, thrashing the Trailblazers 6-1 in their first-ever match. Friday at Bob Peters Field
“Like I told the guys, there are 45 schools that play in the NWAC, and we’re No. 45,” coach Noel Vazquez said. “Everett is No. 5. If we want to climb, we have to play a lot of teams who are tough and get a lot better.”
The Titans dominated just about from the opening kick, bagging four goals in the opening 45 minutes to take a large lead into halftime.
That gap became 6-0 in the second half, before W.F. West alum Jairo Lima Perez put his name in the CC history books by scoring the program’s first goal on a free kick in the 85th minute.
“We celebrated like it mattered to us,” Vazquez said.
Victor Rojas still made 12 saves for the Blazers, as Everett peppered his net all morning long.
CC will play at the NWAC Friendlies next week at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, facing Shoreline on Tuesday and Edmonds on Wednesday, and the Blazers will do so with some real game experience finally under their belt.
“Obviously, they’re tired and frustrated,” Vazquez said. “But it finally feels like it’s real.”
