PORT ANGELES — Forrest Epstein had a hand in all three Port Angeles goals as the Roughrider boys soccer team beat Forks 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Epstein squeezed in a goal between assists on scores by Joey Pohl in the first half and David Roberts in the second as the Riders took advantage of a short-handed Forks squad.
“We started knocking the ball around a lot better and all three goals were pretty quality,” Port Angeles coach Chris Saari said.
“It was good to get the first win of the season. Everyone is feeling pretty good about it.”
Forks was missing its most deadly scorer, Wilson Avila-Luna, in its first game of the season.
Without the junior, who netted 23 goals last year, the Spartans managed just four shots on goal against Port Angeles (1-1 overall) freshman goalkeeper Jack Doryland.
“We had some grade issues and some practice eligibility type issues, so we were playing a little short tonight,” Forks coach Brian Bowers said.
“We didn’t play as well as we can, but we’re working through some stuff.”
Pohl was named the offensive player of the match for the Riders, Svetelio Hurd the transition player and Owen Kays-Erdman the defensive player.
“Hopefully this is the start of a long rivalry and we can keep seeing each other every year,” Saari said of the two team’s first meeting.
Added Bowers, “I liked having the game. It was nice to have a close game.”
Port Angeles will take on archrival Sequim at Civic Field tonight at 6:45 p.m. in another nonleague contest.
Forks begins its Southwest Washington League season with a home game against Tenino on Saturday.
Port Angeles 3, Forks 0
Forks 0 0 — 0
Port Angeles 1 2 — 3
Scoring Summary
First half: 1, Port Angeles, Pohl (Epstein), 14th minute.
Second Half: 2, Port Angeles, Epstein (Haskins), 52nd minute; 3, Port Angeles, Roberts (Epstein), 63rd minute.
Chimacum 1, Sequim 0
CHIMACUM — Due to a lack of personnel, the match-up between the Cowboys and the Wolves turned into a non-counting friendly game.
Chris Pieper scored in the third minute of the contest with the only goal of the day.
The Cowboys’ backup goalkeeper, Trevor Richardson, earned a shutout at the net.
Chimacum 1, Sequim 0
Sequim 0 0 — 0
Chimacum 1 0 –1
Scoring Summary
First half: 1, Chimacum, Pieper, third minute.
Second Half: No goals scored.
Port Townsend game postponed
Due to high winds over the Hood Canal Bridge on Tuesday, the Redskins were unable to play their game against King’s Christian and the contest was postponed to a later date.
King’s Christian couldn’t get over the bridge.
Port Townsend travels to Klahowya on Thursday in its first league game of the season.