Looking back at Friday's boys prep soccer game at Harbor, Raymond South Bend made a comeback after a long absence with a win over Montesano.
boys prep soccer
Raymond South Bend 3, Montesano 2
(Raymond South Bend won 4-2 in the penalty shootout)
There were a lot of jeers and hollers on the Raymond South Bend sideline at the end of Friday night's game against the top-ranked Montesano Bulldogs, and for good reason.
The Ravens had just pulled off one of the most amazing, jaw-dropping victories anyone in attendance had ever witnessed.
Trailing 2-0 in stoppage time, RSB (10-2 overall, 1A Evergreen) scored two goals to tie the game, and in overtime they avoided Montesano's golden goal with a penalty kick save, making it 4-4. 2 achieved an impossible victory. At Montesano, they became the first combo team in history to defeat the Bulldogs 3-2 in a penalty shootout.
“It means everything,” Ravens freshman goaltender Miguel Perez said of the win. “I have to thank God for everything I have today.”
“I'm really happy,” RSB junior midfielder Edgar Ramirez said after converting the penalty kick in the shootout to seal the Ravens' victory. “Winning this game means a lot to me.”
And the Ravens should be elated because it looked like Montesano was close to winning until the final two minutes of the game.
The first half was scoreless and featured some slick play from the midfield, with both teams having several chances to score before Montesano (10-4, 10-2) darted out of the gate to take the lead in the second half.
Monte midfielder Gio Torres penetrated the Ravens' penalty area and sent a pass to junior forward Felix Romero, who took a low shot that deflected off the diving hands of Perez and hit the ball at the far post. It rolled just inside, giving us a 1-0 lead. 43 minutes.
RSB came close to tying the score when freshman forward Adam Mora broke through the wings and sent a cross through the gap on the Bulldogs' goal line, but Monte keeper Enrique Mendoza dived to smother the ball and back-end the ball. This prevented the connection and protected Monte's lead.
The Bulldogs quickly moved down the field on a counter-attack, with midfielder Chris Tovar passing to forward Jules Dejour and scoring in the 51st minute to double their lead.
With less than five minutes remaining, the score remained 2-0, and it looked like Montesano was on its way to its 11th win of the season.
Fate said something about it.
In the first minute of injury time, or the 81st minute of the game, RSB freshman forward Jose Ramirez stole the ball at Monte Saad, dribbled to create space, and fired it into the high corner of the net from about 25 yards from goal. I took a shot. The difference was reduced to 2-1.
About two minutes later, lightning struck again when Edgar Ramírez's shot hit the post and a pinball hit the front of Monte's goal. The shot was saved by Mendoza. The rebound spun into no-man's land just a few yards away from Mendoza. Jose Ramirez beat the Bulldogs on a loose ball and punched in the second goal to tie the game in spectacular fashion.
“The last two minutes were heart-stopping. When the first goal was scored, we were putting them under so much pressure that we knew we had a great chance to get the second goal,” RSB said. head coach Joe Keegan said. “In the last two minutes, the backs, midfield and forwards knew they had to empty the tank. They had to give everything in those last two minutes. They bounced back and scored the goal. Then he scored the second goal and it was history.”
But the heart-stopping moment wasn't over yet. Monte scored what appeared to be a golden goal from a corner kick in the second overtime, but a penalty for handball was called against RSB and the goal was nullified, but Montesano was sent to the spot. A penalty kick that could potentially win the game.
Tovar advanced on his mark and sent a hard, low penalty down the left side, but Perez guessed correctly and cleared the shot with a dive, keeping the Ravens' hopes alive.
The game went to penalties, and a save by Bulldogs goalie Cohen Andersen and a conversion by Gio Torres gave Monte a 1-0 lead.
The penalty shootout was tied at 2-2 after the Ravens' Chris Quintana and Michael Nunez sandwiched a goal and Monte's Spencer Lovell scored.
Tovar's shot hit the post and was scored by RSB's Jayden Silva.
Perez then made a crucial diving save on a de jure attempt, giving the Ravens a chance to win.
“I had full trust in the team and they had full trust in me,” Perez said. “There was no pressure at all.”
Edgar Ramirez stepped up and fired a shot low to the right, past the diving Andersen and into the net, winning the shootout 4-2 and completing an incredible comeback.
“I thought I could make the shot,” Edgar Ramirez said of the game-winning kick. “The team believed in me and I believed in myself. I knew I was going to score that penalty.”
Edgar Ramirez was then swarmed by teammates as a raucous celebration began near the Ravens' bench.
“We never gave up,” Edgar Ramirez said. “We kept pushing because we knew we could win this game. (The win) means a lot to us. It's probably the most important game of the season for us and I'm grateful to everything about the team. ”
“I had full trust in the team and they had full trust in me,” Perez said. “There was no pressure at all.”
The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Montesano, as the Bulldogs currently sit in a three-way tie for first place in the 1A Evergreen League standings with Raymond South Bend and Eatonville with two games remaining.
The Bulldogs are in good position to secure the No. 1 seed after winning on goal difference against the Ravens and Cruisers in the league tiebreaker, but there was little consolation at the end of Friday's game.
“This is one of those games that I'll remember for a while, because we had a chance to win,” Montesano head coach Fidel Sanchez said, still trying to understand what happened and somewhat bewildered. body,” he said. “It's just one question of how we lost this game and it doesn't make any sense. But the game has to end and today wasn't over yet. We were almost there, but today. It's not over yet. It's that simple.”
RSB 0 2 0 0 1 – 3
Montesano 0 2 0 0 0 – 2
Scoring
First half – None.
Second half -1, Montesano, Romero (J. Torres), 43 minutes. 2, Montesano, De Jour (Tovar), 51 minutes. 2, RSB, J. Ramirez, 80 minutes. 3, RSB, J. Ramirez, 83 minutes.
No overtime at first.
Second Overtime – None.
Penalty kicks – RSB 4 (Quintana, Nuñez, Silva, E. Ramirez). Montesano 2 (J. Torres, Lovell).
Elma 2, Fork 1
Elma kept pace with the league leaders with a 2-1 road win against Forks on Friday.
The Eagles (10-5, 9-3, 1A Evergreen) took the lead in the 11th minute when senior forward Kayson Seeberg invaded the Spartans' 18-yard box and crossed to junior Theo Flores at the far post. It was sent. Flores converted this feed for a 1-0 lead.
Fawkes took advantage of Elma's mistake in clearing and scored in the 26th minute to make it a 1-1 game at half-time.
Seventeen minutes into the second half, Elma midfielder Jose Perez sent a pass to Seeberg, who fired a left-footed shot inside the far post for a 2-1 lead.
Erma kept Forks at bay as the Spartans were limited to rare long shots throughout the remainder of the second half.
The win moves Elma into fourth place in the 1A Evergreen League standings, one game behind Montesano, Eatonville and Raymond South Bend.
Elma 1 1 – 2
Fork 0 1 – 1
Scoring
First half -1, Elma, Flores (Seaburg), 11 minutes. 2, fork, 26 minutes.
Second half -3, Elma, Seaburg (J. Perez), 57 minutes.
Other games
Hoquiam 8, Ilwaco 1