Othello soccer remains unbeaten

OTHELLO - Jorge Campos scored two goals and Enrique Romero added another to lead the Huskies to a 3-0 shutout win over Selah Saturday.

The victory improves Othello to 2-0 in CWAC action and 4-0 overall.

The Vikings won the coin toss and elected to go with the wind at their backs, hoping to score early and often in the first half of play, and then use it as a defensive measure in the second half.

But the strategy backfired as Othello held them in check.

"They out shot us in the first half, but couldn't score," coach Bernie Garza said. "All thanks to Martel (the Jet) Saucedo who made five saves."

The Huskies were held off the board as well in the first half of play, but did rack up three goals in the second half of the match. Their first goal  came at the 46 minute mark.

"We came out firing after the break and got some incredible goals from Jorge," Garza said. "Enrique got on the score board first on an assist by Jorge as he blasted it into the back of the net from about five yards out after the ball was not cleared by the Selah defense."

Twelve minutes later Campos took a direct kick from 40 yards out and knuckled balled to the upper right corner past a diving Jose Limon, the Selah keeper, to put Othello up 2-0.

"When he took that shot, the ball didn't even spin," Garza said. "It just came off of Jorge's foot like a missile."

Campos second goal of the match, off an assist by Miguel Penaloza, came at the 64 minute mark to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead and round out the scoring for the game.

"That was his seventh goal of the year so far," Garza said. "Jorge is showing why he was selected First Team All-League midfielder last year, and MVP for the CWAC as a junior."

The Huskies defenders deserve a lot of credit as well as the unit had a big hand in the shutout victory.

"Our defense is playing really good right now and getting used to playing with each other and backing each other up," Garza said. "Praise goes out to center defender Matt Jones for his constant pressure on the opposing teams top scorer. Outside defenders Alec Alvarez and Jason Rodriguez have done a great job containing outside forwards making runs down the sidelines. And freshman Miguel Gonzalez has really come up big as our last defender when the forwards get by our defense."

Saucedo, the Othello keeper is on fire too, Garza said.

"He has had three shutouts ... five actually counting the jamboree games in this young season," he said. "He's a big reason why we are 4-0 right now."

Saucedo recorded seven saves against Selah, and has given up just two goals in four matches.

Othello was back on the pitch Tuesday, but the results of the match were not available at press time. The Huskies host Ellensburg Friday at 6 p.m., and travel to Ephrata Saturday for one final match before spring break.

The game gets underway at noon.