Moore blast lifts Wolves over Tides

Shortly after Tuesday’s 7-0 win against Foss, South Kitsap High School soccer coach Eric Bergeson looked ahead.

There was Gig Harbor on the schedule — a team that tied the Wolves in the regular season and then defeated them in last year’s league playoffs.

There won’t be a repeat this year as forward Justin Moore — the first junior captain in Bergeson’s 11-year tenure — scored on an assist with 4 minutes remaining to give South a 1-0 Narrows League win Thursday.

“It was a perfect pass from Jordy Thomas,” Bergeson said. “Justin ran onto it, took it about 20 yards and put a blast over the keeper’s head in a hurry.”

South (5-0-1 overall, 3-0-0 league) remained undefeated with the win. Goalkeeper Daniel Lathrop earned the shutout and Bergeson also said he was pleased with the performance by defenders Jesse Askew and Bryan Heath.

“Everyone’s contributions were vital to winning this big one,” he said.

The Wolves now have outscored their opponents 10-1 in league play. Moore had a pair of goals in the win against Foss. He had the first and last goals in that match when he scored in the 5th and 63rd.

“I feel good about the way we came out,” Moore said.

“It doesn’t matter who you play, you want to come out strong. It was a good way to start at home.”

Foss went winless last year, but Bergeson noted that upsets are common in soccer. He said he was proud of his team’s performance.

“You can tell we entered the game focused and prepared,” he said. “That’s a sign of a mature team.”

Midfielder Quincy Lyman scored his first goal of the season in the 15th and added another 10 minutes later on an assist from Cory Matthews, who also had a goal in the 21st. Midfielder Taylor Cryder scored the Wolves’ other goal in the 32nd.

“Quincy Lyman had a beautiful (goal) when we needed it to probably put the game away,” said Bergeson, referring to the second goal of the match.

South’s lead enabled Bergeson to pull Lathrop out of the goal to play up front. He said it was a decision he didn’t take lightly.

“He’s such a talented goalkeeper, I would prefer not to get him hurt,” Bergeson said. “I wouldn’t do that if it were the playoffs.”

The Wolves continue league play when they host Olympia at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Thursday

South Kitsap 1, at Gig Harbor 0

Second half — 1, South Kitsap, Justin Moore (Jordan

Thomas), 76th minute.

Tuesday

At South Kitsap 7, Foss 0

First half — 1, South Kitsap, Justin Moore (Jason

Skolnik), 5th minute; 2, South Kitsap, Quincy Lyman,

15th; 3, South Kitsap, Cory Matthews (Gunther Hammel),

21st; 4, South Kitsap, Lyman (Matthews), 25th; 5,

South Kitsap, own goal; 6, South Kitsap, Taylor Cryder

(Hammel), 32nd.

Second half — 7, South Kitsap, Moore (Gavin Klein), 63rd.

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