One of the goals for the Bearcats is to score within the first five minutes of the second half. They did that in the pigtail contest versus Washougal. They did it again on Saturday night.
This time, it was a double order.
Alex Mathuzima scored in the 41st and 42nd minute and the defense held on to preserve the 2-1 victory for W.F. West over Hockinson on the road. It marks four consecutive seasons the Bearcats will play in the Class 2A District 4 semifinal.
It will be an All-Evergreen Conference showdown when W.F. West tangles with Tumwater on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Tumwater District Stadium. The last time the two rivals played in the semis was 2022, a 1-0 victory by the Thunderbirds.
“It took a complete team effort today,” W.F. West head coach Allen Anderson said. “Everyone was a standout. Really proud of our effort.”
Scoreless after the opening half, Mathuzima found the back of the net quickly into the final 40 to put the Bearcats (9-8) up 2-0. Hockinson cut the deficit in half in the 58th minute, but never found the equalizer.
There were nine yellow cards in the match, a handful that were on W.F. West, including one of its coaches. Senior captain Adrian Jaimes kept it blunt on the trip home.
“We played for the badge today,” he stated.
