PREP SOCCER: PA crushes North Kitsap to take sole possession of second place

Published 10:45 am Sunday, April 26, 2026

POULSBO — The Port Angeles boys soccer team came up with a huge victory Saturday, crushing North Kitsap 5-1 on the road to take sole possession of second place in the Olympic League.

North Kitsap finished second in the state tournament last year. After the victory, Port Angeles, which hadn’t beaten North Kitsap since 2019, is now ranked No. 6 in the state in Ratings Percentage Index. Olympic League leader Bainbridge remains ranked No. 1.

There will be a rematch of the two soccer powers on senior night in Port Angeles on Tuesday.

The Roughriders jumped all over the Vikings in the first half, scoring a flurry of four goals in 20 minutes and taking a 4-0 lead into the break. Taihvan Lyle was a force in the Riders’ set pieces.

The Riders’ scoring bonanza began in the 19th minute when Oliver Martinez headed a Taihvan Lyle free kick to the far post over the goalkeeper’s head.

In the 31st minute, it was Lyle scoring unassisted on a 45-yard free kick. Matthew Miller screened and distracted the Vikings’ keeper with a run across the goal-mouth.

“The goalie was on his heels no knowing if Matthew would redirect the shot or not,” Saari said.

Just three minutes later, Lyle got the ball to Miller, who beat two Vikings’ defenders on a breakaway. Miller placed the ball to the right side of the goal as North Kitsap’s keeper came out of the goal.

In the 37th minute, Miller scored a second goal on another breakaway after stealing the ball near midfield and beating two defenders again.

The Riders went up 5-0 in the 51st minute when Tanner Lagrange beat a defender on the right wing and crossed the ball into the penalty box. The ball found Miller, who hit a one-timer to the near post as the keeper was leaning the opposite direction.

Miller’s hat trick gave him 30 goals on the season, tying the Port Angeles school record set by Rick Smith in 2000.

“We had better passing to Matthew that made better opportunities for him to score,” said Riders midfielder Roldan Lara.

Saari named Miller and Lagrange his offensive players of the match, Martinez his transition player of the match and Lyle and Grant Butterworth defensive players of the match.

Port Angeles (9-2, 11-2) begins senior night festivities at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday with the game against North Kitsap (7-3, 8-3) beginning at 7 p.m.

Port Angeles 2, Olympic 0

BREMERTON — Saari credited goalkeeper Maverick Williams for helping the Riders salvage a 2-0 win in tough weather Friday night.

“It was a sloppy game with high winds in the first half at Olympic High School on Friday night between the Riders and the Trojans. Olympic had the wind at their backs the first half and put some pressure on the Riders. If it wasn’t for some big saves from Freshman Rider Goalie Maverick Williams, the Riders would have had to play themselves out of hole,” Saari said.

Williams finished with with fourth shutout of the season.

“It wasn’t a pretty performance and below our standards, but we held and kept a clean sheet to secure a victory,” said Rider defensive back/midfielder Sawyer Davis.

The Riders finally got a break when in the 34th minute, Miller was brought down in the box for a penalty kick. He put the kick low to the right.

In the second half, Miller scored his second goal, picking up a loose ball at the top of the Trojan penalty box and found space to get a low powerful shot past the goalkeeper in the 48th minute.

The Riders created a few more chances but were unable to score again in the 2nd half, Saari said.