MATTAWA - Playing like a state tournament contender, Wahluke High School took three soccer matches last week to improve to 10-2 and keep the pressure on 12-1 SCAC-leading Granger.

The Warriors travel to Granger Thursday and could be playing for the league lead at 4 p.m. The Spartans faced 10-2 Highland yesterday.

The week started with Granger on top, Wahluke and Highland in second and 6-5 Royal in fourth. Wahluke will host Warden today and travel to Kiona-Benton on Saturday.

The key victory last week was a 1-0 conquest of Connell. The Warriors fired 27 shots at the Eagle net, but the Connell goalie was up to the task.

"He was on fire. He was all over the place," Warrior coach Arthur DeVictoria said.

Wahluke won with team defense. The Eagles got off only eight shots, and only six saves were needed from Warrior keeper Alan Caro.

The Warrior goal came early. Juan Estrada took a pass from Luis Veloz in the second minute and deposited it.

On Thursday, Mabton tried to take the measure of the Warriors but, with only 12 players, the Vikings were no match in the 3-0 contest. Caro needed to make only two saves.

Wahluke did all of the scoring before half-time. The first goal came in the second minute from Luis Vaca with an assist from Ramon Bravo.

Bravo scored the next two goals, in the 30th and 36th minutes. The first one was assisted by Librado Barajas. The second had a double assist from Jesus Ochoa and Alexis Anaya.

At Naches on Tuesday, a 6-0 victory was settled early. The Warriors led, 4-0, after 13 minutes. DeVictoria substituted liberally the rest of the way, giving bench players more experience.

The first goal came almost immediately in the first minute from Ramon Bravo, unassisted. The hard-flying shot deflected off of the goal keeper into the back of the net.

The second goal came off of a penalty kick taken by Librado Barajas in the sixth minute. The third goal was from Emmanuel Hidalgo assisted by Charlie Ramon. It was low and hard past the goal keeper in the eighth minute.

The fourth goal came in the 13th minute, by Bravo assisted by Hidalgo. The pass was sent in long and skipped past a defender and the goal keeper, and Bravo put it into the back of the net.

The final goal of the first half was by Hidalgo assisted by Alexis Anaya. The ball was crossed from outside of the 18-yard box and Hidalgo put the ball into the back of the net.

The final goal, from Hidalgo, was a laser shot the keeper tried to push out and over the cross bar. It was too strong, hit the cross bar and ricocheted into the back of the net.