Ephrata shuts out Okanogan

Ephrata's soccer team definitely won on Thursday.

Against a struggling Okanogan soccer team, the Tigers put up 13 unanswered goals and got help with the 14th to take the league game 14-0 at the Ephrata High School. Ephrata head coach Ken Murray used every player on the bench, got scoring from seven different players and allowed Okanogan to take two shots at its goal the entire game.

"There is not a lot to say, we played well and defense and Okanogan is struggling right now," Murray said.

With the district tournament starting in 11 days, Murray called the game an opportunity to increase the playing depth on the bench and try new formations against its weaker opponent. On Tuesday, the Tigers captured the league title for the CWAC North and will have to face a tougher CWAC South in the first round of the playoffs.

"A game like this gives you guys in there who can stir the fire a little bit and that is the main thing you can take away from a game like this," Murray added.

The season for Ephrata has been full of blowouts and shutouts, leaving the concern for how well the Tigers' goalie will do in a tougher match. Against Quincy, Kellan Mathis faced off and held the Jacks scoreless into overtime as Ephrata picked up the 1-0 victory, but other than that match, the goalie for the Tigers hasn't been challenged.

Against Okanogan, Mathis had two saves out of two total shots on goal.

"For our keeper, all we can do is all we can do," Murray said. "It concerncs me that he hasn't been pressured a ton in games, but we are doing everything we can to get him ready."

In Thursday's game, Jose Alatorre scored the game winning goal in the first minute of regulation off an assist from Dustin Kapalo. Alatorre finished the game with four goals, three coming off the pass from Kapalo and one unassisted with a minute to go in the game.

Kapalo finished the game with five assists.

Mauro Chavez scored the next two goals for the Tigers in the eighth and ninth minutes of the game and later scored in the 65th minute. Kai Hirz had two goals in the game, Edgar Pichardo, Juan Farias, Humberto Mendoza, Frankie Navarro all had one goal and the Okanogan defense scored one goal for the Tigers.

Ephrata improved to 15-0 after the contest with Okanogan and is now in preparation mode for the district playoffs with the South.

"No North team has matched up with a South team and they are strong and we have to be ready in every facet," Murray said. "Anyone is capable of knocking someone off."