Soccer: WF West squeezes out huge win at Tumwater

4/16/2024

WF West 2, Tumwater 1

(Tumwater, WA) The Bearcats of WF West was looking to bounce back after a pair of subpar performances that saw them hold on for a 1-0 win over Shelton and an OT loss at Aberdeen.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute on a fantastic shot from 25-yards out by Nano Jaimes. Jaimes took a crossing pass and booted the goal from distance on a laser to the left side of the box past T-Bird keeper Davyn McGilvrey for the 1-0 lead. 8 minutes later the T-Birds took advantage of a situation that the Bearcats th0ught the ball crossed the endline for a goal kick and stopped only to see the T-Birds keep playing and Nathan Boone knocked the ball into the net on a pass from Dylan Stevens.

The officials got together and discussed the play and they could not confirm the ball actually crossed the backline and counted the goal. The two teams would go to the half tied at 1-1.

As usual, the Bearcats stayed with their 2 keeper rotation and Caden Page took over for Josh Madrigal. Page would be chllenged several times but denied the T-Birds each time tallying 7 saves including our NW Hometeam of BHG Realty, Summit Funding and Country Insurance, Takin’ it to the House Play of the Game.

The play was in the 42nd minute when Tumwater’s Stevens delivered a rocket blast that Page was able to tip up and it rebounded off the crossbar keeping the T-Birds from what would have been the go-ahead goal.

WF West would take the lead with the eventual winning shot from Rafa Mendez who took a ball into the box and fired. The ball woould strike a T-Bird defender and it rolled into the goal to the far left of the box. McGilverey had no chance of defending the shot, taking away from a monster game in the box that saw him record 14 saves.

Our Thorbeckes MVP went to Nano Jaimes as the Bearcats improve to 8-1 in EVCO 2A play and 9-2 overall. WF West will play their crosstown rival at Centralia on Friday night. Tumwater drops to 6-3 in league play and 6-6-1 for the season. The T-Birds will try to get back in the win column against Shelton also on Friday.

Link to watch the Match on demand on the NFHS Network (Subscription required)

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