Coupeville Sports

   Aram Leyva (middle), seen here earlier in the season, scored a hat trick Saturday. (Pat Kelley photo)

The first half was about staying warm. The second half about winning.

Raining down four goals after the break, the North Whidbey Deception boys’ soccer squad routed visiting Mercer Island 5-1 Saturday and kept alive its hopes of finishing in second place in league play.

Playing on a cold, windy (but not wet) day at Ft. Nugent Park, the booters got four of their goals from their Coupeville mercenaries, including a second-half hat trick from Aram Leyva.

Fellow Coupeville Middle School student Matthew Kelley gave the Deception their first goal, slipping in a score while being hammered in front of the net shortly before halftime.

That knotted things back up at 1-1 and after the break, Wolf Jake Mitten was untouchable in goal.

With the lanky CMS 7th grader holding down the fort on defense, Leyva found his touch and obliterated Mercer Island.

With set-up help from Kelley and fellow Wolves Sage Downes and Michael Laska, Leyva ran his season scoring total to 14.

The non-Coupeville contingent got into the scoring column late in the game, when Max Brighton rattled home his second goal of the season to pad the final score.

Now 7-3, the Deception have two games remaining on their schedule.

If they win out, they finish in second place.

There is a slight chance they could tie for the league title, but that would require the current leader to collapse over the final two weeks.

Coupeville players have accounted for 28 of the team’s 34 goals this season, with Kelley (10) hot on Leyva’s heels for the team scoring title.

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Aram Leyva surveys the field, looking for an opening. (Pat Kelley photo)

Whatever home field advantage they had disappeared in the rain.

With Ft. Nugent turned into a mud bowl by a torrential downpour Saturday, the North Whidbey Deception boys’ soccer squad couldn’t stay afloat.

Surrendering three second-half goals while trying to defend a side of the field that had become a pit of grime and despair, the booters fell 4-2 to the Strikers.

Both of North Whidbey’s goals came courtesy of its Coupeville contingent.

Matthew Kelley set up Aram Leyva in the first half for a goal that knotted things at 1-1, before getting his own score later.

Kelley’s goal came courtesy of an assist from fellow Coupeville Middle School 7th grader Jake Mitten.

Up 2-1 at the break, things were looking good, but that changed quickly after the Deception returned to the field.

With every ball disappearing into the muck and mire, the defense was continually frustrated and balls started to slip and slide through the gaps, allowing the visitors to escape with the win.

North Whidbey gets a chance at redemption next Saturday, when it stares down Island rival South Whidbey.

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