Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Wednesday, Apr. 08, 2009

PREP BOYS' SOCCER: Sowers lifts Golden Eagles to win over Mariners

FERNDALE - The Ferndale boys' soccer team turned a loss into a good thing.

After falling to Meridian on March 24 for their third loss of the season, the Golden Eagles have since stayed in the win column. Ferndale earned its fifth straight victory with a 2-1 Northwest Conference victory over visiting Sehome on Wednesday, April 8.

"That loss kind of jerked us in the right direction," Ferndale coach Scott Browne said. "After that game they said, 'We don't want to do that again,' and they just keep performing."

Junior forward Caden Sowers headed in a pass with about three minutes left in regulation. Sehome goalkeeper Jordan Smith blocked the shot, but fumbled the ball and Sowers booted it in for the go-ahead score to avenge a season-opening loss to the Mariners.

The Golden Eagles' defenders in Ryan Carlson, Corbin Warner, Jake Dunn and Heath Sowers held strong for three more minutes for the win.

"We've been practicing our set pieces all week," Browne said. "It's a thing that evolves over the season. You start with the basics and you move from there to your finite play, and this week was our finite play."

Ferndale (6-3, 5-1 NWC) has outscored its opponents 23-2 during its five-game win streak. It was the third loss for Sehome - and the third loss by one goal.

Against the Golden Eagles the Mariners (5-3, 3-2) were short handed due to spring break.

"I thought we had a good, solid overall game," Sehome coach John Sylvester said. "We just had a little mental lapse at the very end and that cost us the game. You have to play solid the whole time."

And Ferndale did.

Senior Sean Williams put the Golden Eagles on the board in the 15th minute and the defense buckled down until Sehome senior Mike Klein found the deep right corner of the goal right before half for a 1-1 tie.

The second half became a battle between goalkeepers. Both teams fired off shots, and while the Mariners had more opportunities, the Golden Eagles had more dangerous close calls.

Sehome out-shot Ferndale 15-10.

Smith was put to work in goal numerous times and was saved of a potential score when a shot ricocheted off the right beam. On the opposite end of the field Chris Reimer denied Sehome of its opportunities. Meanwhile, Ferndale's defense tried to wear down Sehome's forwards and midfielders.

"We tried to run them to the outside and tried to pull them out and they broke down." Browne said. "My defense - Carlson, Warner, Dunn and Heath Sowers - those guys play so well together. They're in tune with each other. I've seen them gel better and quicker than defenses since 2005 when we went to state. These guys are shaping up to be really good."

And it may only get better with Warner, the only senior.

The Mariners, which are second in the conference in goals allowed (five), will look to bounce back with a more complete roster next week at home against Anacortes.

"They needed to finish their chances a little better," Sylvester said. "We just didn't do that well enough today. We out-shot them by a little bit, but they made theirs count."

FERNDALE 2, SEHOME 1

Scoring: Goal: Sean Williams (Ferndale), time: 15; Goal: Mike Klein (Sehome), time: 39; Goal: Caden Sowers (Ferndale), time: 77. Shots on goal: Sehome 15; Ferndale 10. Goalies (saves): Sehome: Jordan Smith (7); Ferndale: Chris Reimer (12).