Jacks soccer team falls to Cascade

QUINCY — About halfway through the second half, with the Quincy High School soccer team on the attack, an opportunity opened up in front of the Cascade High School goal. The shot went over the crossbar.

Quincy coach Hector Vaca said plays like that summed up the Jackrabbits’ 3-0 loss Tuesday in Quincy

“I feel like Cascade took advantage of their opportunities and we didn’t,” Vaca wrote in answer to questions emailed by the Columbia Basin Herald.

The game decided the Caribou Trail League title; Cascade (Leavenworth) is undefeated in the CTL, with two of their wins coming over Quincy. The Kodiaks defeated Quincy 3-1 on March 28. 

Quincy came out strong in the first half, forcing most of the action into Cascade’s end of the field. Quincy got some chances at the Cascade goal, but couldn’t convert.

Cascade took advantage of a shift in momentum and pushed the ball into Quincy’s end. A lateral pass in front of the net and a shot to the open side got by Quincy goalkeeper Romualdo Sandoval to give Cascade a 1-0 lead at about the 33rd minute.

Vaca wrote that the Kodiaks’ first goal was a turning point in the match.

“I feel we did very well up until the first goal for Cascade,” he wrote.

Both teams had chances in the second half. Sandoval made a save on a Cashmere breakaway that kept the score at 1-0, but the Kodiaks pushed the score to 2-0 on a putback from a missed shot at about the 60th minute. 

A flurry in front of the Cascade goal ended in a free kick for Quincy, but the shot went wide. Cascade’s Angel Sandoval beat the defense downfield and scored at the 57th minute to put the game away.

Vaca said he saw some good play from the Jacks.

“Brayan Nunez had a very solid game, creating chances and winning a lot of the midfield battles,” Vaca wrote. “Rafael Perez and Jose Garcia both had a very solid defensive game (and) Erick Zepeda was very solid and dangerous down the flanks. Kasey Toevs was winning a lot of the aerial balls in the center of the pitch.”

The Jacks finish the CTL season tonight against Cashmere in Cashmere, and end the regular season with a game against Warden on Monday. The second-place finish in the conference means Quincy will host a playoff game May 4.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.

Box score

CASH: 1-2 3
QNCY: 0-0 0

    Alexander Murillo (11) aims a kick down the sidelines during Quincy’s game with Cascade.
  

    Lester Chacaj (10), Quincy midfielder, fights a pair of Cascade midfielders for the ball.
  

    Quincy players move the ball up the field in Tuesday’s game against Cascade.