By Pierre LaBossiere
Peninsula Daily News
MOUNT VERNON — The Peninsula College men clinched their eighth-straight North Division title with a 3-0 shutout over Skagit Valley on the road.
The men won at a field at Skagit Valley College, also named after the late Dr. Wallace Sigmar, an NWAC Hall of Fame soccer coach and player at SVC who later served as Peninsula College President.
“I think Wally was smiling down on us,” said Rick Ross, Associate Dean for Athletics and Student Life. “He helped us launch the soccer program back in 2000 and I know he’d appreciate the dynasty it’s become.”
The Pirate men (12-0-1, 14-0-2) are ranked No. 1 in the Northwest Athletic Conference and No. 9 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association Junior College Division I Poll.
“I think what the group has accomplished this year, in terms of winning the division, can easily go unnoticed because of the history and success of the program,” coach Cale Rodriguez said.
“But I think certainly the division title was well earned. The boys have worked extremely hard to put themselves in this position.”
Cesar Gervacio scored the Pirates’ first goal on a penalty kick in the 13th minute in the Saturday match. He added his second goal in the 62nd minute with an assist from Jose Soto.
Just seven minutes later, Alex Ramos scored with an assist going to Michael Day.
The two goals give Gervacio 13 for the season, good for fourth in the Northwest Athletic Conference despite missing some games early in the season.
Peninsula (12-0-1, 14-0-2), leads the entire NWAC with 37 points and 63 goals and is ranked No. 12 in the nation.
The Pirates next play at Whatcom on Wednesday, then wrap up their regular season at home at 2 p.m. Saturday against Edmonds. The postseason begins Nov. 2 with first-round games. As a division winner, Peninsula will get a first-round bye and won’t play until Nov. 5.
The Pirates will play the winner of a postseason match that will likely feature Tacoma against either North Idaho or Walla Walla.
Women Peninsula 5, Skagit Valley 0
Local women did well for the Peninsula soccer team, contributing to the Pirates 5-0 win over Skagit Valley.
Sequim High School’s Leslie Cisneros scored her first two official college goals in the Saturday match and added an assist.
Cisneros and Sequim’s Heidi Veriede also had an assist in the match, while Port Townsend’s Malila Henderson was one of three Pirate keepers who combined for the shutout.
Emilee Greve, Jayna Morikawa and Sydney Warren also added goals. Greve and Warren tallied assists, as well. Warren now has nine goals on the season.
The Pirates, who had already clinched the NWAC North Division, rested several starters in preparation for the playoffs.
“I was pleased that some of the players who have been in more of a supporting role were able to come out and put together an organized, skillful 90 minutes. Without the contributions of every player on the roster, we would not be in the great position we are in right now,” said coach Kanyon Anderson.
The Pirate women will face the winner of a Nov. 2 match against the second-place finisher from the West, currently Tacoma, and the third-place finisher from the East, currently Walla Walla. The quarterfinal playoff is scheduled for Nov. 5 at noon at Sigmar Field at Peninsula College.
Peninsula, (13-0-0, 14-1-1) is ranked No. 1 in the NWAC and 16th nationally. The Pirates finish their regular season playing at Whatcom Wednesday, then host Edmonds at noon Saturday.
