Wahluke kicks off soccer season with 2 strong games

Wahluke Warriors Soccer

by Ted Escobar & Royal Register Editor
| March 24, 2015 6:00 AM

MATTAWA - Wahluke High School's soccer team started the season at a SCAC-Seattle showdown in Seattle last Saturday and came away elated with the results.

The Warriors tied University Prep on Friday, 1-1. On Saturday they took down Seattle Academy, 2-1.

"It was a great trip," coach Arthur DeVictoria said.

Making things even greater was the fact that, for lack of practices, not all varsity players made the trip. UP and SA are state-caliber 1A soccer programs.

The trip had a cultural side. The Warriors' bus picked up the Highland High team in Cowiche, and the two teams traveled together to the showdown.

"At first they were a little nervous because they are always trying to beat each other," DeVictoria said. "Then they warmed up and had a great time together. The two teams rooted for each other."

In addition to the soccer, Wahluke and Highland enjoyed a tour of Seattle University on Friday. The 2-hour excursion was conducted by a Seattle U. official.

Highland, which DeVictoria said looks as good as ever, won one game, 1-0, and tied a game, 1-1.

All of the scoring in the first Wahluke game came in the first half. UP went ahead with a goal in the 17th minute. Wahluke tied the score in the 32nd minute.

The game was tied on a spectacular individual play by defender Jose Garcia. He won the ball in the Wahluke half of the field and drove it home.

Garcia dribbled past the mid-field stripe to about the 25-yard range. Then he fired a shot that sizzled through the air and split the goal keeper's hands to find the netting. Even DeVictoria was impressed with the shot that seemed to come out of cannon.

The game was mostly defensive. UP allowed 10 shots, and Wahluke held UP to five.

"We started a little rough, but then we settled down," DeVictoria said.

A bright note was the play of Wahluke freshman goal keeper Ricardo Cabrera. He stopped four of the UP shots.

Seattle Academy took the early lead in that game, scoring a goal in the 27th minute. The Warriors tied in the 39th minute.

Faustino Dominguez stole the ball and drove toward the right side of the field. He got around a defender with a touch pass to himself. Then, going left to right at about 20 yards, he fired a hot shot that went through the keeper's hands into the left side of the net.

SA was called for a foul in the 55th minute. DeVictoria sent junior Juan Bravo to the spot, and he fired a free kick toward the mouth of the goal. Senior Hermilo Catalpa confronted the ball in stride and headed it into the netting.

DeVictoria noted the SCAC has been split into two 5-team divisions this year. He said the Warriors will have to be wary of Royal, Connell and Warden. Kiona-Benton has had it rough in recent years, but he expects the Bears to be improved

"They're all going to be good," DeVictoria. "We'll have to play our best every time out."