PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles soccer team snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over Bremerton on Senior Day.
Coach Chris Saari said the Roughriders had been creating chances to score in recent games, but had not been able to convert.
“Saturday was a different story,” he said.
In the 13th minute, Dayton Williams took a pass from Porter Litle and made a right-footed shot from outside the 18-yard box. The shot went in on the far post.
Bremerton knotted the game up at 1-1 in the 16th minute, but the Riders bounced right back when Josiah Long took a pass from Litle in the 20th minute, dribbling past a Knights defender into the penalty box. He hit a low left-footed shot that beat Bremerton keeper Ashton Thach-Wilcoxson on the near post to make it 2-1 at the half.
“Port Angeles made a formation adjustment after the second goal … to try and control and have more presence defensively in midfield. The move proved effective and Port Angeles stuck with the formation for the rest of the game,” Saari said.
The Riders got an insurance goal early in the second half when Long collected a ball and beat several Bremerton players. He got in behind the Knights defense on a breakaway and slipped the ball past Thach-Wilcoxson as he came out of his goal. It was Long’s second two-goal game of the year.
Saari named Long and Litle as his offensive players of the match, Sean Rankin as his defensive player of the match and Williams and Damon Gunderson as his transition players of the match.
“Sean Rankin was solid as a rock for Port Angeles defensively again,” Saari said. “Damon Gundersen covered a lot of ground, won tackles and distributed the ball well in midfield.”
Port Angeles finished with 12 shots to Bremerton’s seven. In the JV game, Bremerton won 3-0.
The Riders recognized seniors Rankin and Litle as well as senior managers Maizie Tucker and Natalie Martinson.
Port Angeles (4-7, 3-7 North Conference) will look to finish the season strong at North Mason Friday in a crossover game against a South Conference opponent.
Football
Neah Bay 60, Darrington 12
DARRINGTON — The Neah Bay football team got off to a fast start this week, getting out to a 36-6 lead by halftime en route to a 60-12 rout over Darrington.
The game was a reversal of last week. The Red Devils won their belated opener over Concrete, but were tied 6-6 at the end of the first quarter and were up only 20-12 toward the end of the first half.
“We had better execution on offense and defense,” said coach TJ Greene. “The offensive line was just outstanding. They set the tone early.”
Meric Soeneke had a huge game for Neah Bay (2-0). He had four passing touchdowns, including an 84-yarder to Jaxson Halttunen. He also had passing touchdowns of 49 yards to Tobias Croy, 20 yards to Robert Richardson and 30 yards to Neil Bowechop.
Greene said Soeneke showed a lot of senior leadership in the game.
“He was throwing strikes,” Greene said. Soeneke threw for 214 yards on 11-for-14 passing.
Croy scored two rushing touchdowns as well, on runs of 44 and 45 yards, while Bowechop also had a touchdown reception on a 31-yard pass from Paul Greene. Croy had 199 yards rushing on 17 carries and 52 yards receiving on two catches.
Captain Claplanhoo and Malcom Lovik also had fumble recoveries.
Neah Bay will next play at 3 p.m. Saturday in Forks against Coupeville in an 11-man game.
Port Angeles’ Sean Rankin, left, and Bremerton’s Brennan Galoway, right, tussle for the ball as Rankin’s teammate, Zak Alton, covers from behind during Saturday’s match at Peninsula College in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
