The Bulldogs split a pair of games last week in boys soccer action.
Bulldogs 2, Spartans 0
MONTESANO — Montesano’s Kyle Cox and Gage Iverson each had tap-in goals on rebounds off the goalkeeper to give the hosts an Evergreen 1A League win at Rottle Field on April 13
Cox’s goal in the 20th minute came when a shot from 18 yards out was saved, but the ball rebounded off the goalkeeper’s hands and onto his foot. Cox tapped it home for the goal.
In the 77th minute, Iverson iced the game when Cox’s cross into the box deflected to Iverson, who got an open-goal tap-in for the goal.
“We had control for quite a bit of time,” Montesano head coach Rick Denholm said. “With the 5 p.m. start and the kids being a bit tired from playing Hoquiam on Tuesday, we were just a bit slow to start today.”
Riccardo Marangon, Ken Moua and Nicolai VIkkelsoe were all cited for their all-around games.
Grizzlies 1, Bulldogs 0
It hasn’t happened much this season, but Hoquiam’s Grizzlies have retained their traditional knack for winning games in which they were outshot.
The Grizzlies made an early Connor Darras penalty kick stand up in a 1-0 victory over Montesano in an Evergreen 1A League boys soccer showdown on April 11 at Rottle Field.
Following an evenly played first half in which Hoquiam (2-0, 6-1) probably enjoyed a slight advantage in time of possession if not on-target attempts, Montesano (1-1, 2-5-2) outshot the Grizzlies 13-4 in the final 40 minutes.
But sophomore goalkeeper Johnny Smith made several quality saves and defenders Gregory Dick, Oscar Joya, Andre’s Vasquez and Myhles Malone held firm to preserve the shutout.
“I was happy with the way we played in the first half,” HHS coach Fidel Sanchez said. “In the second half, we fell into how they wanted to play — which is run, run, run. We are famous for playing to the opposition’s (style) and we’ve got to get away from that.”
The Grizzlies capitalized on a rare Montesano lapse for the game’s only marker.
Following an ill-advised pass that resulted in a steal, Darras was taken down in the box in the eighth minute.
The sophomore midfielder drilled his penalty kick into the lower left-hand corner of the net.
Neither team had an abundance of scoring chances for the remainder of a first half played primarily in the midfield. But the Bulldogs began applying unrelenting pressure by the midpoint of the second half.
Smith made a leaping save of Nicolai Vikkelsone’s mid-range shot from the right wing in the 59th minute and then smothered Cox’s attempt to convert the rebound.
Bringing up a defender to aid in the attack over the final 10 minutes, the Bulldogs had an even better opportunity with about four minutes remaining. Taking a crossing pass from Ben Lopez, Riccardo Marangon launched about an 18-yard shot toward the roof of the net, but Smith again went high to bat it away.
Montesano’s Connor Parkinson and Michael Malpass got off lower-percentage shots during stoppage time, but Hoquiam actually had the final scoring chance. Naz Mazariegos’s hard shot from relatively close range in the waning seconds was turned away by goalkeeper Waymn Thoemmes.
“I felt they won the first half,” Montesano coach Rick Denholm said of the Grizzlies. “In the second half, we possessed the ball better. We had some good looks, but couldn’t finish. That’s how it went.”
In addition to his defenders, Sanchez praised the performances of Darras and Carlos Juarez in the midfield.
“Our first 11 are pretty decent players,” the Grizzly coach said.
Denhom commended the performance of his entire team.
