TUKWILA — The Peninsula Pirates weren’t thinking overtime.
When an own goal in the 76th minute erased their two-goal second-half lead over Spokane, the Pirates knew they still had 14 minutes, and they knew they were going to end the game in regulation and claim the Peninsula men’s program’s fourth Northwest Athletic Conference championship in six seasons.
“That just motivated us even more, just to keep trying, because we deserved to be champions,” freshman forward Johnny Martinez said after Sunday’s game at Starfire Sports Complex.
Nine minutes later, Martinez’s corner kick was deflected to the opposite side of the 18-yard box to Joe Sorenson, who sent the ball back to the front of the goal.
Eddie Benito headed the ball toward the goal where Jose Soto knocked it into the net with his chest.
“We always practice these in training, they would whip it in from second post and one of us is waiting in the 6-yard box,” Soto said.
“And when I saw Eddie whipped to the 6-yard box, I ran in with everything, I just threw myself at the ball.
“And what do you know, it was a goal.”
Soto’s goal gave Peninsula a 4-3 lead and held up as the game-winner.
“Honestly, I believed that we could get a fourth one. I really did,” first-year Pirates coach Cale Rodriguez said.
“It would have been easy for us to crumble, it would have been easy for us to struggle once they got the third one, and credit to Spokane, but I think our guys, they managed it and they believed that the game wasn’t over.
“I was 100 percent sure that it wasn’t going to overtime, that there was going to be a goal to be had.”
The Pirates didn’t crumble any other time in the 2015 season, so why would they in a tie game with 14 minutes left?
The past two Peninsula men’s teams that won conference championships, in 2012 and 2013, lost a combined total of one game and tied three times.
The Pirates this season went 16-3-3 overall and 11-2-2 in the North Division. They had the best record in the NWAC and won the North by seven points.
That doesn’t match the dominance of the ’12 and ’13 teams, but it’s still really good.
It wasn’t always easy, though. There was the tie and loss in their two NWAC Friendlies games.
And then the three-game stretch in early October during which the Pirates allowed three goals in a home victory over last-place Everett, played Skagit Valley to a scoreless draw and then lost to Whatcom 3-0.
There also was the 2-1 loss to Edmonds to close out the regular season.
“We actually struggled,” Soto said. “It was a hard season.”
Throughout the rough waters, the Pirates’ ship stayed the course.
“I think we go back to what we know,” Rodriguez said.
“That’s the motto of our group: no matter what happens, we keep fighting, we keep believing in each other.
“And, I think, ultimately, today’s game is a great example of that. You know, Spokane fought hard and got themselves back into the game, and I think that we were just that much [more] determined to make sure that we ended up on top.
“I think that’s the sign of a championship team, when things get tough, you got to respond, and these guys have been responding all year long.”
Peninsula’s first response in the championship game came quickly.
Spokane’s Jonathan Cortez, the NWAC’s top goal scorer, found the net in the first minute of the game. Before they could break a sweat, the Pirates were down 1-0.
“They got the first goal, but that did not back us down,” Martinez said. “Like, we knew we had this game.”
But almost as fast as it fell behind, Peninsula tied the match when Martinez set up Keo Ponce for a score in the third minute.
“Well, Johnny Martinez got a ball from Manny Medina and he took it down the line, he cut back, and then I was making that run in,” Ponce said.
“And right when he saw that, he crossed it in, and I told myself, I have to get to that ball, that’s it, I had to.”
Ponce had another goal in the 53rd minute that extendd Peninsula’s lead to 3-1. After the game, the sophomore forward from Hawaii was named the tournament MVP.
“Keo is just, he’s phenomenal,” Benito said.
“He knows where to be, he can read the game so well, he’s just a great player.”
Ponce also set up Santi Sierra’s goal in the first half that broke the 1-1 tie in the 31st minute.
That goal, no surprise, came on a corner kick.
“I knew we could be dangerous on restarts,” Rodriguez said Sunday.
“We talked about it before the game. We knew how they were going to set up defensively, and we knew with a good ball we could be effective.
“I’ve told these guys all along, believe in the corner kick, believe that we’re going to get one. I told them that if we were going to be successful today that we were going to have to get a goal off a corner. And ultimately we were able to get a couple, which obviously helped and put us over the top.
“We weren’t dangerous on them all year long, but I told the guys coming into the playoffs that we had to be dangerous, and it paid off.”
It helps that the Pirates have tall players such as Sierra (6-foot-3) and Soto (6-2) coming up from their defender positions, as well as Benito (6-3), a midfielder.
“We’ve got some trees that we can put in the box,” Rodriguez said.
“At halftime, I challenged my two center backs, Jose and Santi, to go out and get me a goal.
“I think when you got the two big lads in the back that can go up and challenge every single air ball, that’s pretty dangerous.”
The Pirates finish the season playing their best soccer, having won eight of their final nine games, including all three playoff games.
Benito said it took the nine sophomores some time to gel with the 15 sophomores earlier in the season.
“We had to adjust with returning players and new freshman players,” he said.
“It was difficult adjusting to it at first, but during the middle of the season we got used to it and we started connecting more passes, playing more simple.
“Everything just connected.”
Instead of crumbling, the Pirates connected. And now they’re champions.
“Words can’t explain how I’m feeling right now,” Benito said.
“I’m proud of my team, proud of myself, proud of everyone that came to support.
“It was just amazing. It’s amazing.”
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: Early-morning work pays off as Peninsula Pirates win fourth conference title — https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20151117/NEWS/311179994/mens-soccer-early-morning-work-pays-off-as-peninsula-pirates-win
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Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
