Federal Way schools split soccer matches with Kent schools

Published 10:30 am Friday, April 10, 2015

It’s impossible to argue Thomas Jefferson High School’s soccer tradition. Even when the team starts slow, they are always a threat to put it all together and go on a run.

If Monday night’s game is any indication, this year’s team is looking to do just that.

The Raiders faced off against Kentwood and looked like a team with the majority of its cylinders firing in the 3-1 win. A few defensive lapses kept them from looking completely dominant on the pitch.

It took awhile for things to get going for either side, but once they did, they didn’t slow down.

Jefferson opened the scoring in the 33rd minute of the game when junior Chris Oh found the back of the net, a rarity for the defender. Oh stated that he “felt pretty good” about the goal.

Kentwood went on to tie the game 16 minutes into the second half. A collision between two Raiders defenders allowed for an easy passing lane for Kentwood. Conks senior Alfredo Medina drove home the close-range shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Despite giving up the goal, the Jefferson attack did not lose focus. They took the lead once again in the 59th minute, only three minutes after the Kentwood goal.

Paul-Andrew McCleary, a midfielder for the Raiders, made an impressive run down the pitch before delivering a precise pass to the senior forward Seth Walker. The pass placement and timing allowed Walker to easily beat the defender and place the ball neatly between the right post and the keeper’s outstretched legs.

“The team is really starting to come together,” Walker said. “We’re starting to mesh and get some chemistry going.”

The final goal came in the 73rd minute for the Raiders. It was easily the most impressive of the three.

Senior midfielder Avery Bond received the ball on the far left side of the pitch near the Kentwood box. He beat two defenders and took a long-range shot. The shot crossed the front of the net and curved perfectly into the top right corner.

Despite his best efforts, the Kentwood keeper was unable to stop the shot.

Teammates erupted on the field and in the bench area when the goal went in.

“I got the ball from Beau Hepler, number seven, he saw me on the outside,” Bond said. “I just took one touch in past the first defender and another one past the second defender and saw the goal and thought I should go for it. That was probably my nicest goal I ever scored.”

Scoring was not the only skill on display for the Raiders Monday Night. Passing also seemed much improved for the team.

Jefferson head coach Dave Hansen told junior midfielder Justin Yoon to “own it” in regard to the middle of the pitch. He did.

Yoon was pivotal on the defensive and offensive sides of the ball. He also displayed incredible accuracy on long through balls and set his team up in great position to score.

Jefferson’s win has them undefeated in their last four matches, two of those wins.

“We had a rough start to the season, but now we’re starting to get it together,” Walker said. “Hopefully we can ride this momentum, get a winning season and get into the playoffs.”

The win makes Jefferson 2-1-2 in league play and 3-1-3 record overall. The team won 3-2 against Kentridge on Wednesday bringing their record to 3-1-2 in league play and 4-1-3 overall.

Todd Beamer vs. Kentridge

The Chargers and the Titans looked pretty evenly matched for the majority of the game. Neither team could create shots early on and it wasn’t until a foul in the box that one team would finally break free.

Kentridge’s Jordan Christie capitalized on the penalty kick in the 20 minute to take a 1-0 lead.

Beamer would create a few opportunities, but could not put one in the net. One open shot just barely missed the top left corner of the net and sailed over it.

Beamer did manage to keep the ball out of their own net on a crazy sequence in the 37 minute that saw junior goalkeeper Omar Duenas save a shot off the throw-in, only to have it still bounce towards the net.

Titans senior Austin Jex then attempted to clear the ball, but it bounced off the post and back into play at a Kentridge player’s feet. Duenas made another diving save to end the scoring chance.

Still the Titans could get nothing going offensively and the second goal by Kentridge in the 52 minute seemed to have sealed the game.

The last opportunities for Beamer to score came late as the Chargers were forced to play down a man after a red card. The Titans came close multiple times, but were still unable to find the net. Kentridge won 2-0.

The Titans fell to 1-4-0 in league play and 2-5-0 overall with the loss. They lost 1-0 to Kent-Meridian Wednesday to bring their record to 1-5-0 in league play and 2-6-0 overall.

Beamer’s Austin Jex (left) and Mark Kochubey (middle) defend against Kentridge’s Sunny Singh (right) in the first half of Monday’s 2-0 loss. TERRENCE HILL, the Mirror

Federal Way vs. Kent-Meridian

The Eagles and the Royals battled in a game that featured many missed opportunities, redemption and heartbreak.

Neither team could find the back of the net in the first half, but that was not for lack of trying. Federal Way had numerous chances to get a shot on the net that just did not go in.

Kent-Meridian didn’t fare much better. They had less shot opportunities and were not on the Eagles’ side of the pitch too often.

Both teams had some trouble possessing the ball as well.

Still, it looked as though Federal Way would be the first team to break through. That was not the case in the end as a lapse on defense gave the Royals the first score.

In the 71 minute, Kent-Meridian player took a shot from 40 yards out that hit the top crossbar. The goalkeeper attempted to make a save, but missed as the shot was too high. Before he could recover, Royals players converged on the ball and knocked in the first goal.

Federal Way finally responded in stoppage time of the second half. A late corner kick allowed Eagles’ captain Fernando Sanchez to beat the keeper and force extra time.

Despite the late joy, Federal Way ultimately left with disappointment as Kent-Meridian prevailed 5-4 in penalty kicks.

“We just got to be a little more feisty,” Federal Way head coach Jason Baumgardt said. “Our group is talented, but they just haven’t put it together yet. If they wake up and play the way they’re capable of, they can go far.”

Federal Way fell to 2-2-1 in league play and 2-4-2 overall with the loss. They still received a point for reaching penalty kicks. They lost 3-1 to Kentlake on Wednesday to bring their record to 2-3-1 in league play and 2-5-2 overall.

Federal Way’s Fernando Sanchez pass the ball to a teammate on the opposite side of the pitch in the first half of Monday’s loss at Federal Way Memorial Stadium. TERRENCE HILL, the Mirror

Decatur

Decatur beat Kentlake 1-0 on Monday night. They lost 5-0 to Tahoma on Wednesday night, bringing their record to 2-3-1 in league play and 2-3-2 overall.