North Division standings

Team Conf. Pts Over.

Peninsula  8-1-2 26 10-2-3

Whatcom 7-1-3 24 8-2-3

Edmonds 4-5-2 14 4-7-3

Sk. Valley 4-5-2 14 4-7-2

Shoreline 3-4-4 13 3-4-7

Everett 0-10-1 1 0-12-1

Sequim Gazette staff

Slump? What slump?

Peninsula shrugged off a two-game scoreless streak in fine fashion with a pair of NWAC North Division wins at home last week, shutting out Edmonds on Oct. 14, and Shoreline three days later.

The No. 3-ranked Pirates (8-1-2 in NWAC play, 10-2-3 overall) got on the board in the first two minutes against Shoreline Saturday. Eddie Benito broke down the sideline, fed Joe Sorensen, and Sorensen returned the favor as Benito finished off a header for a 1-0 PC lead.

Peninsula struck fast again after the second half whistle as Jonathan Vasquez found a racing Jonathan Martinez in the box, and Martinez found the net on the far post for a 2-0 Peninsula win.

Nick Johnson, who denied Shoreline a goal with a key save off of a free kick, recorded four saves and the shutout, his NWAC-leading eighth of the season.

The Pirates started the week  with a 4-0 blanking of Edmonds on Oct. 14, with head coach Cale Rodriguez starting his reserves to help try to break a two-game scoreless streak (an Oct. 7, 0-0 draw with Skagit Valley and a 3-0 loss to Whatcom on Oct. 10).

Off a counterattack, PC’s Steven Moreno found Keo Ponce for a score just before halftime and a 1-0 Peninsula lead.

Moreno and Benito set up the Pirates’ second goal. Benito beat the Edmonds defense down one side and crossed to Moreno, who found Sorensen for a 2-0 PC lead about six minutes into the second half.

It stayed that way until the 69th minute, when Benito made another run down a sideline and found Sorensen, who’s shot riccocheted off the goal post and Ponce finished off.

Benito finished off the scoring at the 84th minute when Edmonds turned the ball over and Jonathan Vasquez found his teammate in the box for Peninsula’s fourth score.

“The second half intensity and quality of play increased,” PC assistant coach Jake Hughes said.

Johnson recorded the shutout.

Looking ahead

The Pirates host Everett on Oct. 21 before playing at Skagit Valley on Oct. 24. The Pirates finish the regular season with an Oct. 28 home matchup with Whatcom and an Oct. 31 matchup at Edmonds.