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La Conner's Jarret Hatch (16) and Christian Fix (11) contest for the ball along the Braves sideline during the first half of Friday's soccer action with Lopez Island at Whittaker Field. Lopez won 5-1.
Unbeaten Lopez Island defeated La Conner 5-1 in an often-physical boys' soccer match at Whittaker Field Friday afternoon.
The Lobos, displaying deft passing and a relentless attack, scored the contest's first three goals before Simon Bouwens got La Conner on the scoreboard by booting a line shot past the Lopez keeper less than two minutes before intermission.
The visitors, who enjoyed a clear size advantage, added two unanswered goals in the second half.
"They're a very good team," La Conner head coach Galen McKnight said of the Lobos afterward.
McKnight noted further that several Lopez frontliners played soccer over the summer. That off-season work has paid dividends for the Lobos.
Lopez entered the clash in La Conner having defeated Grace Academy 5-0 and San Juan Islands rival Friday Harbor 2-1.
At La Conner, Lopez scored twice within a one-minute span early in the opening half.
A Lobos player converted a short shot at the 29:15 mark after La Conner goalie Tyler Cicotte had blocked a prior Lopez attempt.
The visitors increased their lead to 2-0 with 28:15 remaining in the half when a Lobos perimeter shot found the net.
Lopez went up 3-0 on a carom off a corner kick 11:30 before halftime.
Play was stopped several times throughout the contest due to collisions and penalties. Cicotte was head-butted in front of the goal and Hadden Zimmerman had a contact lens dislodged at one point. Zimmerman went to the sideline briefly in the second half to insert another lens.
Though Lopez displayed a stingy defense, La Conner managed a handful of attacks.
One of the Braves' best scoring threats came 10 minutes into the second half when Christian Fix fired a long pass to Jarret Hatch who in turn fed Bouwens for a shot on goal. That boot was blocked, however.
McKnight, whose team has suffered repeated close, single-goal setbacks, was pleased with the Braves' effort against a skilled Lopez club.
"The kids played really hard," he said. "We had some opportunities."
La Conner, which sports a misleading 0-5-1 record, resumed action Tuesday afternoon opposite Grace Academy. The Braves play at Mount Vernon Christian at 4 p.m. Thursday.
McKnight is confident La Conner's work ethic will translate to wins in the season's second half.
"This is one of the better teams we've had," he said.
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