BOYS SOCCER: Sequim rules the Rainshadow Rumble rivalry with 4-3 win over Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES — With both squads emptying their energy reserves trying to chase down a winner, Sequim senior striker Mekhi Ashby scored off a Preston Kurtze throw-in less with less than 10 minutes to play as the Wolves hung on for a 4-3 Rainshadow Rumble rivalry win over Port Angeles.

Kurtze added two first-half goals to put Sequim up 3-2 at halftime, giving him four goals in the Wolves’ two Rainshadow Rumble wins over the Roughriders, the first a 4-2 win on March 14.

Ashby gathered in Kurtze’s throw on the left side of the goal box, took a couple of dribbles and made the turn to his right, getting enough juice on the ball to send it through the encircled arms of Port Angeles goalkeeper Jordan Saluskin and in for the eventual game-winning goal in the 72nd minute Tuesday night at Wally Sigmar Field at Peninsula College.

The play was set up by a Solas McGruther shot that clanged off the post and was cleared out of bounds by Port Angeles.

Port Angeles had opportunities to go up on the Wolves prior to Ashby’s goal and some chances to tie late, but couldn’t put together the scoring strike.

“Our back line did its job for the second half after cleaning up the diving they did in the first,” Sequim coach Dave Breckenridge said.

“Mekhi had a good game and found the net at the right time as well. Josh [Alcaraz] also played well.”

Port Angeles found the net first in the 10th minute on a flicked header assist from Matthew Miller to Kanyon Anderson.

“Kanyon collected the flicked header in behind the Sequim defense at the top of the penalty box and lobbed his shot over Sequim goalie Nolan Valenzuela as he came out,” Riders coach Chris Saari said.

Sequim answered back in the 13th minute when Solas McGruther put a rebound shot past Port Angeles goalkeeper Jordan Saluskin. Finn Braaten set up the play when his shot was saved by Saluskin but the ball trickled over to McGruther who scored from close range.

Miller, Port Angeles’ leading scorer, notched a goal in the 23rd minute when he took an A.J. Martinez pass and slipped the ball into goal for a 2-1 Riders’ lead.

“PA did what we expected, park the bus and run seven defenders and send long balls to Matthew, who I thought did a great job,” Breckenridge said. “Kanyon also put the work in for them and as a result got him a point.”

Kurtze scored twice in the 29th and 30th minutes to wrest the momentum from the Riders.

“Preston! He was the difference maker,” Breckenridge said. “He flipped a switch.”

Ashby assisted on the first goal, running on to a loose ball in the Riders’ defensive half and finding Kurtze streaking up the left side. A few dribbles in toward goal and Kurtze shot hard to the near post.

A minute later Kurtze made a couple of Rider defenders miss inside the box and put a quick shot to the upper left post for a 3-2 lead.

Port Angeles again knotted the score up in the 50th minute on Matthew Miller’s second goal of the game, a direct free kick that beat Valenzuela.

“All in all it was a challenging game and im glad to see PA put on a performance with such a young team and missing a few key players,” Breckenridge said. “Now we focus on Olympic to make a final run for the district playoffs.”

Sequim (4-4-0) hosts Olympic (3-6-1, 4-7-1) at 6:45 p.m. today.

Saari said his squad was disappointed with the loss but he thought his Riders had played their best game of the season and called the contest a “hard-fought, end-to-end battle.” He praised Miller’s play offensively as well as Grant Butterworth and Aurelio Wilson-Rojero defensively and Anderson, Curren Mehew and Oliver Martinez for their work in transition.

Port Angeles (1-8-0, 2-9-0) hosts North Mason at 6:45 p.m. Friday.