Soccer: Bearcats Shootout win over Tigers plunges EVCO 2A into Chaos

4/24/2026

WF West 2, Centralia 1 (5-4 Shoot-out)

(Chehalis, WA) The Centralia Tigers were a PK kick in the 5th round of the shoot-out from taking complete control of the EVCO 2A league with 3 matches to go in the regular season. Instead, the WF West Bearcats and crosstown rivals pulled off a stunning comeback win to create a literal coin toss finish in the final 3 matches.

The Bearcats win forced a 3-way tie for 1st with WF West, Centralia and Tumwater all at 5-2. Aberdeen, who were the early leaders, are sitting a game back at 4-3 leaving Shelton and Black Hills on the outside looking in and playing a potential spoiler role if anyone stumbles against the Highclimbers or Wolves in the final games.

The Swamp Cup Showdown

The Bearcats and Tigers are of course longtime rivals and battle for the crosstown rivalry Cup in all sports. The boys soccer trophy came down to this match at WF West where they are the only team in the EVCO 2A to still play on natural turf.

The Bearcats and Tigers battled for 26 minutes with each team making strong runs at both defenses. The Tigers dominated with 7 shots on goal but River Haydon refused to give in with a clean sheet in the 1st half.

Centralia keeper Romario Mejia was well protected by the Tigers backline saving 2 1st half shots but in the 27th minute the Bearcats Fox Rogerson headed in the go ahead goal on a corner kick from Gage Grisham with a perfect entry pass as the Cats crashed from outside the box.

The Bearcats defense then held firm to halftime and WF West went to the break with a 1-0 lead.

2nd Half scramble

The Bearcats strategy was to protect that lead and through 30 minutes of the 2nd half the Tigers kept firing and Haydon kept knocking them down as the defensive approach was working. Haydon had another 8 saves in goal in the 2nd half as he was a brick wall.

But with so many attempts the odds finally caught up with Haydon the Bearcat defense in the 70th minute. Centralia’s Damian Cruz sent a high passing shot from the left side of the box and rolled out to Johnny Ruiz who blasted it into the left side of the goal and the match was tied at 1-1. That is how it would stand sending the game to OT.

OT and PK’s

In the First overtime WF West got off a really nice shot only to be turned away by Centralia goalkeeper Romario Mejia. After the teams switched sides for the second five minute overtime the intensity picked up with both teams getting good looks but defenses locked things down. With less than a minute to go in overtime there was a Centralia penalty in the box and it looked like WF West was going to avoid back to back ECVO 2A shootouts. However, Centralia defender turned Keeper Romario Mejia made a diving save, sending Rafael “Rafa” Mendez’s shot wide and forcing a shootout.

Right off the back the shootout had some intrigue because Centralia Coach Noel Vazquez sent Forward Damian Corona to be the shootout keeper and he also stepped up and made the first kick giving Centralia the 1-0 PK lead. Once Corona got his keeper gloves on it was the Bearcats Julian Casimiro at the spot. Corona made the diving save and made his coach look real good. The second shooter for Centralia was Jacob Silva Perez and his shot was right up the middle and River Haydon sent it straight in the air for what looked like a save. However the ball went straight up and had enough spin it rolled in for the 2-0 Centralia lead. WF West’s next 3 shooters all scored and so did the next 2 for Centralia giving the Tigers a 4-3 lead with a chance to win it on a Gabriel “Pato” Cruz make. Cruz’s shot clanged off the left post and shot out wide, opening the door for the Bearcats. Derek Galeana stepped to the spot and nailed the shot making it 4-4 after 5 kickers. Centralia’s sixth to step to the spot was Daniel Rios Hernando he sent a shot low and to the right but Haydon was there to make the stop and this time there was no doubt. The sixth shooter for WF West was Rafa Mendez who had his PK blocked forcing the shootout. Mendez wiped that from his mind and buried the shot for the win and redemption. Watch the full shootout in the highlights below.

Thorbeckes MVP

The Thorbeckes MVP award always goes to a player on the winning team and it wasn’t a tough choice for the ESN crew selecting Bearcats keeper River Haydon. Haydon had 15 saves and gave up just one goal in regulation. Haydon then knocked down the 6th shot in the shoot-out, opening the door for the Bearcats to get the win.

EVCO 2A is anyone’s to win

After this week the answer to who will take the EVCO 2A is down to one of 4 teams with WF West, Centralia and Tumwater all tied at 5-2 and Aberdeen just a game behind at 4-3. The Bobcats could easily stir up a lot of trouble as they have split with WF West and still have Tumwater and Centralia on their schedule along with Black Hills. If the Bobcats sweep that could be really interesting on how the final standings shake out.

Tumwater has the gauntlet left and can secure the Championship by winning 3 in a row to finish the season. The T-Birds have Centralia, Aberdeen and WF West left to play and could clinch the title with 3 wins or could end up 4th with 3 losses. Either way the T-Birds are the only team left with full control of their destiny with 3 wins.

WF West now 5-2 and 8-4-1 overall is back in action next Tuesday at Shelton then at Black Hills next Friday and will finish at home on Tuesday, May 5 against Tumwater.

Centralia now 5-2 and 9-4 overall will host Tumwater on Tuesday followed by a home game on Friday against Shelton then finishing at Aberdeen on May 5th.

EVCO 2A Standings