Angel Partida makes some magic on the pitch. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
Sometimes one goal is all you need.
Coming up huge on the defensive side of the ball Friday, the Coupeville High School co-ed soccer team held off visiting La Conner 1-0 to claim its second win in its last three games.
The non-conference victory against a fellow Northwest 2B/1B League school gets the Wolves to 2-3-1 on the season.
It also marks the last time CHS will play at Mickey Clark Field until Oct. 18, as the Coupeville booters play their next three games on the road.
The first of those tilts will be the final non-league matchup, followed by rumbles with Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood and Grace Academy to open an eight-game span of conference clashes.
Before leaving town, the Wolves wanted to give their fans one more thrill, and it came 12 minutes into play when Angel Partida won a battle in front of the net to bash home the night’s only score.
His team-leading fourth goal of the season, it gives Partida five tallies for his prep career.
After that it was all about defense, as the Wolves repeatedly turned away La Conner attacks thanks to strong work from senior goaltender Hurlee Bronec and his band of scrappy defenders.
The Braves appeared to net the tying goal late in the second half, but had the score erased on an offside call.
Other than that, La Conner’s best efforts were muffled by Bronec, who crashed to the pitch to vacuum up shots, then bounded into the night sky to punch a ball up and over the crossbar.
La Conner got a prime opportunity in second half stoppage time, being awarded a penalty kick after a collision on the far side of the field.
But it wasn’t to be for the Braves, as the shooter airmailed the ball towards the mainland while Wolf fans roared their approval.
Coupeville had fewer scoring opportunities than La Conner but did get a couple of strong looks at the net from grizzled vet Cael Wilson and 8th grader Brian Thompson.
A breakaway very late in the game seemed to have goal #2 written on it, but the La Conner goalie, who had been way down the field, managed to leg it all the way back just in time to deflect an incoming shot.
An insurance goal would have been nice, but on a night when Ayden Wyman, Preston Epp, Mason Butler, and their fellow ballhawks came up big-time on defense time and again, it wasn’t necessary.
JV shines in opener:
Playing for the second time this season, the Wolf JV made a second-half charge and almost toppled La Conner before falling 3-2 in a “friendly.”
Freshman Lillian Ketterling knocked in both of Coupeville’s goals, lashing a pair of lasers that evaded the rival netminder and found the back of the net.
Lillian Ketterling (front row, second from left) is a goal-scoring machine.
