The Kentridge High School boys soccer team controls its own destiny in the playoff race as the Chargers took down Decatur 4-0 on April 26.
The four goal victory is the most goals the Chargers have scored in the month of April, and it’s something they’ve needed.
“We’ve been playing terrific soccer, but just not getting the results,” said acting coach Chris Jewett.
Going into the contest against the Gators, Kentridge had dropped five out of its last six. Despite the poor results, the Chargers are fourth in the North Puget Sound League in goals allowed on average. They’ve just struggled to put the ball in the net.
“When goals go in, everything becomes simpler … This is the first time they really settled down and finished the job, “ Jewett said.
That wasn’t a problem for senior Danny Vargas as he netted three goals for the Chargers, all in the second half.
“I always thought we were a good team. We have so much talent on the field. I think we just needed a little push,” Vargas said.
The first half was highly competitive between the two sides. Both teams came in tied in the standings with 13 points in league play. This placed them tied for sixth in the table. Only five teams make the district tournament, and with the win, Kentridge jumped into fifth place over Kennedy Catholic.
Kentridge’s first goal came in the 36th minute when a pass from sophomore Michael Savencu found the right foot of senior Reyk Marcial, and the Chargers took all the momentum into the locker room at halftime.
This was the result of Kentridge’s relentlessness in the first half. The Chargers kept applying pressure to the Gator backline.
“They just play soccer. I’m very proud of them, they just continue to impress me… They finally got rewarded tonight,” Jewett said.
In the second half, it was more of the same for the Chargers. In the first, Decatur had a couple of chances. In the second half, the Kentridge defense allowed very little possession time for the Gator strikers.
“No one scores on us because we’ve been playing very tight and organized … The backline played terrific tonight … They’re just phenomenal,” Jewett said.
Vargas got going in the second half. His first goal came in the 54th minute. A shot from fellow senior Cody Stoner was parried by the Decatur keeper and Vargas was there to clean it up, extending the lead 2-0.
The pressure was kept on, and a minute later, Vargas found the back of the net once more, this time on his own, putting the Chargers in a commanding 3-0 lead.
Vargas’ final goal as well as the final goal of the game was scored in the 74th minute as he beat the Decatur keeper again.
To come through in Kentridge’s biggest game of the season on senior night was special for one of the seven Charger seniors.
“It was my last game at KR … I’m going to remember this especially after getting three goals. I’ve been having struggles scoring goals this season, but this hat trick really motivates me for the game on Friday,” Vargas said.
They don’t want to rely on any help from other teams to get them into the district tournament. The Chargers want to do it themselves.
“We’re taking this as motivation. We don’t want to depend on another team to be able to make the postseason. We are just gonna keep winning and Tuesday play fun as a team,” Vargas said.
Kentridge’s final game of the season is on the road against Mount Rainier on May 2, and it’s a win-and-in scenario.
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