ROCHESTER — Life was going in a positive direction for the Rochester High School boys soccer team. Post spring break, they won three of four matches and scored multiple goals in those victories.
Not everything is sunshine and rainbows. The Warriors were given a dose of reality on Tuesday night, one that could have ramifications for the playoffs.
Forks waltzed into South Thurston County and left with a 1-0 triumph on a penalty kick goal from Luis Joaquin in the 39th minute to beat Rochester in an Evergreen League contest.
“We are clinging very hard to a playoff spot and our games don’t get any easier,” Warriors head coach Matt Ashton said. “Last week we had a great three games, you should use that as momentum. (Forks) came and took one from us.”
Rochester’s stranglehold on the fourth playoff spot for the league was jarred a smidge with the setback. Forks is now one game back in the loss column with three league games to go, including a road date with Elma on May 8.
For the Warriors, they face two of the top-three teams in the league with Montesano on Thursday and unbeaten Raymond/South Bend next week. They wrap up the regular season with the second matchup against arch rival Tenino.
Even though the Spartans were jubilated on the final whistle and the Warriors had several players sitting on the grass, Ashton still feels his group is “in the driver’s seat” to keep playing into mid-May.
“You can’t lose too many more,” Ashton stated.
There were plenty of opportunities for Rochester (7-6, 7-5 Evergreen) to find an equalizer in the second half.
Seven total shots were taken and the best chance came on a counter-attack in the 76th minute, pushed by senior Anthony Garcia down the right side of the pitch. He had Aidan Villanueva on the other side and his ground cross was deflected by Spartans keeper Abraham Ruiz.
Forks eventually cleared it and despite two looks by Villanueva in the waning minutes, Forks’ backline held firm for the clean sheet. The Warriors also had eight total corner kicks – four per half – and none resulted in threatening chances.
“Very disappointing and not having anyone on the back side to get that far ball,” Ashton said of the set piece opportunities. “You push more. We’re playing some individual ball instead of team ball. We have the players and we have the team to make things happen.”
After the opening 10 minutes of the night where the Spartans pushed the pace and had a handful of shots on goal, Rochester settled in and put together looks of its own. Villanueva got behind a defender, but a foul was called as the pass happened.
Forks responded two minutes later.
A slide tackle in the box on a breakaway set up Joaquin’s PK shot, which froze Rochester keeper Rylan Calica.
“Now I think stemming back the play before that when we didn’t get the advantage, obviously if we made that, different game,” Ashton said. “To do a foul (like that), you take that risk and we don’t need to be taking that risk.”
This time last spring, the Warriors were in a battle for a home district quarterfinal game and they turned the end of season momentum into a trip to the Class 1A state tournament. Twelve months later, they are once again in a dogfight.
Can they find a way to write the same script? Their head coach hasn’t lost faith.
“We just need to put it all together,” Ashton said.
