The North Thurston boys soccer team is one win away from its first state tournament trip in three years after shutting out Enumclaw 2-0 in a District 3 3A Tournament elimination game Thursday in Gig Harbor.
Five days after falling to Kent Meridian 2-1 in the first round of the district tournament, the Rams played with a sense of urgency and improved energy. A free kick by sophomore Easton Sexton was knocked down in the box in the 28th minute before senior Leonardo Cortez followed it up and put it in the far corner for the first goal.
In the 59th minute, after an intense start to the second half, junior Royce Rodriguez drilled a 25-yard free kick in the bottom corner to put the Rams up 2-0. Junior goalkeeper William Doerrheim made multiple clutch saves late in the game to preserve the clean sheet.
“The guys came out tonight with tons of energy, understanding that we needed to win to keep playing past today,” North Thurston coach Tristan Glazer said. “It was great to see the resolve and heart the team played with. I thought we moved the ball really well and controlled crucial stretches of the game. Our guys executed our plan to perfection, and our defense and midfield were outstanding.”
North Thurston (11-3-5) will square off with heated rival Timberline (10-7-2) Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School for a chance to secure a state tournament bid. The two Puget Sound League foes played to a scoreless draw on April 2, and the Rams defeated the Blazers 3-2 on April 21.
