BASIN SOCCER ROUNDUP: The final stretch
IAN BIVONA | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 months, 3 weeks AGO
Ian Bivona serves as the Columbia Basin Herald’s sports reporter and is a graduate of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. He enjoys the behind-the-scenes stories that lead up to the wins and losses of the various sports teams in the Basin. Football is his favorite sport, though he likes them all, and his favorite team is the Jets. He lives in Soap Lake with his cat, Honey. | April 23, 2024 4:08 PM
COLUMBIA BASIN — Boys soccer regular seasons come to a close next week, as local squads battle for seeding in their upcoming district tournaments.
4A
Moses Lake
The Mavericks picked up their first Columbia Basin Big 9 win of the season last week, defeating league-leading Eastmont 2-1 at home on April 16. In the following game on Friday, Moses Lake fell 5-0 on the road to Sunnyside. After Tuesday’s home game against West Valley (Yakima), Moses Lake (4-9-1) has upcoming matches against Davis on Friday and Wenatchee on Tuesday.
2A
Ephrata
Ephrata fell 3-2 to Prosser on April 13, with the Mustangs winning a penalty shootout 6-5 over the Tigers. In the loss, sophomore Avian Soto and senior Eduardo Gonzalez both scored to help Ephrata take a 2-1 lead, but the Mustangs added a goal to force overtime and later won the match in the shootout.
Following the loss to the Mustangs, Ephrata fell 4-0 to Central Washington Athletic Conference-leading East Valley (Yakima) on April 16 and 3-0 at home to Grandview on Friday. The Tigers (4-9-1) traveled to Othello on Tuesday night and host Selah on Thursday in their regular-season finale.
Othello
With wins over Cashmere and Selah last week, the Huskies improved to 9-5-1 overall and 7-3 in the CWAC this spring, with just two games remaining on their schedule.
Against Cashmere, Othello picked up a 6-0 win over the Bulldogs with goals by senior Felipe Haro (twice), junior Asaph Alfaro, junior Ruben Mancilla, junior Larry Maldonado and senior Don Eldrer. Two days later against Cashmere, Othello senior Anthony Abundiz, John Reyes and Maldonado — twice — all scored in a 4-1 win.
Othello locked up a second-place finish in the CWAC with the win over Selah.
1A
Quincy
After suffering a 1-0 loss to Royal on April 13, the Jackrabbits rallied with a convincing 10-0 defeat of Omak on Thursday, picking up their fifth Caribou Trail League win of the season. Quincy hosted league-leading Cascade (Leavenworth) on Tuesday night, but scores were unavailable in time for press deadline. See Thursday’s edition of the Columbia Basin Herald for results from the game.
Following their matchup with the Kodiaks, the Jacks (9-3-2) travel to Cashmere on Thursday and host Warden on Tuesday night in their regular-season finale.
Royal
Following a 1-0 defeat of Quincy where senior Santiago Gonzalez scored the game’s lone goal, the Knights took down Kiona-Benton 3-0 on April 16 and College Place 4-0 on Saturday.
Against the Bears, Gonzalez, senior Freddy Cabrera and senior Jose Victoriano all found the back of the net for goals in the win. Over the weekend against the Eagles, sophomore Victor Aquino, senior Miguel Soriano-Nieto and Gonzalez — twice — all scored goals on the road against College Place.
Royal (11-2) traveled to Wahluke for a clash of teams in the South Central Athletic Conference, but scores were unavailable in time for press deadline. Check out Thursday’s edition of the Columbia Basin Herald for full results from the match.
Wahluke
Wahluke (13-1) picked up wins over Connell and Mabton last week, defeating the Eagles 3-0 at home Tuesday and the Vikings 3-1 on the road on Thursday.
Against the Eagles, Warrior freshman Icker Lopez scored twice in the win, joined by senior Diego Olivares to round out Wahluke’s 3-0 win. Facing off against Mabton on Thursday, three Warriors scored in a 3-1 win; Olivares, junior Diego Perez and junior Alvaro Rodriguez.
Wahlue hosted Royal on Tuesday afternoon, but scores were unavailable in time for press deadline. Wahluke closes out the regular season on the road against Kiona-Benton.
Warden
Warden’s record was evened at 6-6 with Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Connell, falling to 4-6 in league matches this spring. The Cougars have a packed week of matches coming up; after Tuesday’s home match against Mabton, Warden travels to Royal on Thursday, hosts Omak on Friday and travels to Quincy on Tuesday.