Mead eliminated; U-Hi falls
Scouting reports are worth only so much.
Mead got an advance report on what Davis High would bring to Friday night’s regional playoff soccer game at Albi Stadium: The Pirates were quick, but that, perhaps, their forwards might not be that dangerous.
That last part was wrong.
Sophomore forward Efren Manriquez proved exceptionally dangerous, scoring a pair of goals in the game’s first 20 minutes by beating the Panthers in transition, staking the Pirates to a 2-0 lead that held up against a furious second-half comeback attempt, 2-1, ending Mead’s season.
Davis clinched the region’s No. 3 seed into the state tournament and advances to play Columbia Basin League rival Pasco, a 1-0 winner over University Friday, in a first-round state tournament game.
“We made a couple mistakes and they really punished us for them,” Mead coach Matt Stueckle said. “I’m not sure why, but we came out a little slow for some reason. They got their goals quick – about 14 minutes in for the first one.”
Having a scouting report is one thing, but having experience against teams playing a different style is another.
“We don’t play teams like that,” Stueckle said. “We weren’t ready to match their energy at the start of the game.”
Still, the Panthers regrouped.
“This game is not over,” the coach told his players at halftime. “Yeah, they have two goals, but they’re going to give up a couple. You just have to go out there and make them.”
The coach was half right.
Mead halved the Davis lead 12 minutes into the second half. Forward Tim Doggett drove the ball low to the right of the Pirates’ goal, centering the ball to John Sittser, who drove a shot into the lower-left corner.
In the first half, Mead settled for shots from atop the penalty box – long shots that gave Davis goaltender Edgar Garcia time to react.
“For a guy his size, (Garcia) is really quick and agile in goal,” Stueckle said. “When you give him time to see the ball like that, you’re playing right to his strength. You really need to move the ball to the outside and cross – get him moving – if you’re going to beat him.”
The Panthers took the advice, working the ball side to side. But when Garcia proved vulnerable, the goal’s crossbar helped out.
Doggett headed a ball past Garcia’s fingertips with 10 minutes remaining in the game, but the ball tipped off the crossbar.
“We had our chances – we had some quality shots in the second half,” Stueckle said. “We just didn’t manage to get that tying goal to go in. I’m proud of the way our guys came back.”
Pasco 1, University 0: Shayne Kelly’s goal in the 15th minute gave the Bulldogs a win over the visiting Titans in a 4A regional game in Pasco. The Titans had an opportunity in the 42nd minute, but Bill McElroy’s shot was wide left. Pasco advances to the state tournament as the top seed while U-Hi (10-5) advances as the second seed.