Centralia saw Rochester come back to extend the evening Friday at Tiger Stadium, but the Tigers made sure the match wouldn’t go on too much longer than expected, scoring a golden goal just three minutes into overtime to beat the Warriors 2-1 in a 2A EvCo contest.
In the 83rd minute, Kilmer Alverto got a clear shot in the box after a feed from Sammy Carpio, and while Rochester keeper Ezra Aliff saved it, the ball bounced right back to the senior attacker, who put it away to send Centralia to the win.
The Tigers now sit 2-0 in 2A EvCo play following their win over Tumwater on Tuesday, leading the league at early doors.
Centralia controlled play out of the gate, cashing in on a corner kick in the ninth minute whipped into the box by Alverto that found the feet of Alan Cox for a goal.
From there, the Tigers had their chances but couldn’t extend the lead. Out of halftime, the Warriors found a way to equalize, sending a cross into the box that bounced off a defender’s arm to give the guests a penalty kick, which Gabriel Fernandez Sales calmly converted.
“It’s nice to have that on the team,” Rochester coach Matt Ashton said of his Spanish exchange star, who has scored both of the Warriors’ goals through three games this season. “But we won’t have him next year, we’ve got to work with the other boys and get them up to speed, which I think we’re doing… We started slow last year and made the playoffs, so I’m still hopeful.”
Centralia is set to face Shelton on the road next Monday, while Rochester will get a non-league test against 4A Graham-Kapowsin.
