EVERETT Spirits were high among fans and players when M-P soccer took on Mariner High School May 7.
The Tomahawks, who won 5-0, took a 2-0 halftime lead thanks to solid goaltending by senior Kaleb Kuehn and goals from sophomore E.J. Sevon and junior Ryan Wilson.
Although the Marauders threatened to score several times, the Tomahawks kept them on defense much of the game.
Sevons goal came about 15 minutes into the game. It looked like Wilson and senior John Whitfield were going to make it 2-0 within about a minute of the first goal, but Wilsons attempt off Whitfields pass fell short.
Then, about midway through the half, the Marauders started putting a little pressure on Kuehn. With 5:30 left in the half, Mariners Ivan Hernandez drove the ball upfield, getting within inches from the net, and forced Kuehn to fall on the ball to end the drive.
In a busy final two minutes of the game, senior Clayton West pushed back a Marauder drive on a Kuehn-only net. Then, senior midfielder Tyler Thomas drove on the Mariner goal. He missed, but Wilson didnt, getting the rebound on Thomas attempt.
Three and a half minutes into the second half, Thomas tried to avenge his miss, but was blocked again. Mariner answered with a missed attempt of its own as Aldo Palacios kick flew over the right corner of the M-P net.
With 27 minutes left, another Sevon attempt on Mariner missed, bouncing off the top of the goal.
M-P made it 3-0 when junior striker Nick Burdett converted a free kick with 24:21 remaining. Five minutes later, the lead increased again. An attempt by senior Jake Berg was barely stopped, but sophomore Seth Jones came in for the rebound and made it 4-0.
Mariner then relieved goalkeeper Martin Banuelos.
Four minutes later, M-P followed suit, putting senior Thomas Newman in the Tomahawk goal.
With just 14 minutes left, Mariner did its best to keep Newman busy. He leaped for a block when the Marauders were awarded a free kick two minutes into his post. A couple minutes later, Newman had a dramatic block. Leaping sideways, his well-placed hand deflected a Mariner shot drilled at the M-P net.
Though Sean Wolfes goal with 3:39 left in the game put M-P in no danger of losing, Newman held on to combine with Kuehn for the shutout.
Though the mood was jubilant after the game, the win put the Tomahawks in a loser-out game against nemesis Cascade the next night.
Despite losing their regular-season series against the Bruins, junior defender Sayer Torkkola was optimistic.
Were going to come out hard and try to score the first goal, said the M-P record holder for goals against average. My goal is just to play hard on defense and win the individual battles.
About the game against Mariner, Torkkola said, We played hard. We came out wanting the win and kept up the intensity all game.
The Tomahawks season ended the next night against Cascade 5-3, but not before the M-P team held the Bruins scoreless for 90 minutes of regulation. After two scoreless halves and another 10 minutes of overtime, the game went into a shootout.
Whitfield, Matt Metcalf and Sevon scored for the Tomahawks.