Chiefs knock off Panthers

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Chiefs boys soccer team took to the pitch early Saturday afternoon to take on Columbia Basin Big Nine Conference rival Wenatchee.

Prior to Saturday’s contest with Wenatchee, Moses Lake head coach Bill Bertram said he was confident his team would compete with Wenatchee.

“The kids (are) ready to put a foot into it,” he said. “(We) were really ready to go.”

After 17 minutes of scoreless soccer at Moses Lake’s Lions Field, the Wenatchee Panthers clawed their way onto the scoreboard for a 1-0 lead on the road.

Just six minutes after a Wenatchee goal gave the Panthers a 1-0 advantage, Moses Lake junior Devin Petersen put a pass from senior Isac Bergeson into the Wenatchee net and the Chiefs tied the game 1-1.

Moses Lake and Wenatchee continued to play tight as the first half came to a close and the rivals entered the locker room tied.

After playing to a draw in the first half, Moses Lake scored first in the second to take a 2-1 lead. The Chiefs scored when Peterson sent a pass from freshman Adolfo Cortez into the net for his second goal of the game.

With Moses Lake holding a 2-1 advantage midway through the second half, the Panthers found the back of the net to pull even at 2-2 with 22:30 left in regulation.

Moses Lake and Wenatchee kept each other scoreless for the remainder of regulation and the Chiefs and the Panthers headed into the first sudden-death overtime period knotted up at 2-2.

Neither the Chiefs nor the Panthers could find the back of the net in the first sudden-death overtime and the Big Nine rivals headed into a second sudden-death overtime period.

Both teams continued to play solid defense in the overtime periods and neither offense scored, sending the game to a shoot out.

After eight consecutive scores in the shoot out by both the Chiefs and the Panthers, Moses Lake senior goalie Mitch Harder blocked a Wenatchee shot to give the Chiefs a chance to win the match.

With the game on the line, junior Christian Manly found to back of the net for the Moses Lake victory.