LA CENTER’S Alex Firl (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the Wildcats’ win over Toledo in the Class 1A district semifinals Thursday at Kalama High School. Also pictured are La Center’s Sean Nolan (13), Hunter Leach (3) and Jordan Vazquez-Hunt (4).
LA CENTER’S Alec Watkins (5) consoles Toledo’s Nicholas Patching (4) after the Wildcats’ victory over the Indians in the semifinals of the Class 1A district boys soccer tournament Thursday at Kalama High School.
LA CENTER SENIOR Colton Arends (8) fights for a ball with Toledo’s Fwenando Munoz (9) during the Class 1A district tournament game between the two teams Thursday at Kalama High School. La Center won the game 2-1.
La Center boys soccer coach Reece Scragg made a strategic decision heading into this season. He had his two best players switch positions. And the result, has worked out just fine.
Seniors Alex Firl and Colton Arends each scored a goal in La Center’s 2-0 win over White Salmon Saturday in the Class 1A district championship game at Kalama High School and that was after each scored a goal in the Wildcats’ 2-1 win over Toledo in the semifinals on Thursday.
Firl and Arends have produced at prolific levels each of the past two seasons for La Center. Firl had 28 goals and 11 assists last season while playing forward and Arends had 17 goals and 12 assists a year ago while playing in the midfield.
This season, Scragg swapped the two standouts and each has been productive in their new role. Firl has 14 goals and five assists so far this season and Arends has 21 goals and seven assists. What’s most important is that La Center has earned a trip to the state tourney for just the second time in the program’s history and first since 2009.
“Alex plays at a very high level and he offers more to our game and how we play (at midfield) so I switched them,’’ Scragg said. “Colton asked me if he could play in more of an attacking role this year.’’
It was a bold move for Scragg, heading into just his second season guiding the Wildcats’ program.
Last season, La Center won the Trico League title and finished fourth in the district tournament. This season, Toledo won a competitive Trico League, even though both La Center and White Salmon were able to defeat the Indians during the regular season.
La Center added their second win over Toledo in Thursday’s semifinal matchup. Arends scored first, just after the half and Firl added his goal in the final two minutes.
That set up the rematch with White Salmon. The two teams split their two regular season games, La Center winning 1-0 and White Salmon earning a 3-0 victory. The Bruins had surrendered only seven goals in their 12 league matches.
After a scoreless first half, White Salmon had a scoring opportunity fail when a shot hit the crossbar. La Center persevered and finally got on the scoreboard when Firl scored on a free kick in the 55th minute. Arends added his score with about 10 minutes left in the game.
“It was tough and it was physical,’’ Scragg said. “That was the sixth time we’ve played them in the last two seasons and every game has been a strong, physical battle. We enjoy our games against each other.’’
The victory improved La Center’s season record to 14-5. The Wildcats will open the state tournament against Klahowya on Tue., May 19, at 7 p.m. at Kalama High School. Klahowya is making its first state tournament appearance since 2003.
In addition to the senior leadership from Firl and Arends, the Wildcats have had an infusion of youth into the program this season. Freshman Jayden Ackerman has chipped in five goals after scoring seven earlier this season on the junior varsity.
Freshmen Hunter Leach, Alec Watkins, Austin Taylor and Jared Cox are also starters for the Wildcats this season. Freshman Tanner Dreyer has also made a significant contribution to La Center’s success.
Jacob Latham, a senior, has been La Center’s most consistent defender this season and junior Jordan Vaquez-Hunt has chipped in 10 goals, including some key tallies according to Scragg, including the game-winner in the regular-season win over White Salmon.
Scragg said he is asking his team to approach the state playoffs with the same focus as they have the entire season.
“Every game is going to get harder and harder so it’s a case of the boys knowing they have to be on their ‘A’ game because it’s going to be tough games from now on,’’ Scragg said. “I always talk about performance and not about how far we go or how many games we win. It’s about getting them to perform well. If we win games, win district, then that’s amazing. But, it’s more so about these guys developing. It’s not about the result. It’s about the performance.’’
