Sequim Gazette staff

With the Pirates in a slump — if one can call a pair of draws a slump — Peninsula got back to its winning ways against a tough, postseason-bound opponent last week.

Caio Maciel scored twice in the first 22 minutes and freshman P.C. keeper Oscar Torres saved 10 of 11 shots on goal as Peninsula came away with a 2-1 win against the Clark Penguins on Oct. 15.

“The Clark game was a playoff-level battle and it was important for us because we haven’t played great the last few weeks,” Peninsula coach Kanyon Anderson said. “The game could have gone either way, but we got two early goals and spent most of the rest of the game protecting that lead.”

Anderson said the Pirates may see Clark once again in the postseason.

“Because it was a non-league game we were able to try a few different tactical things and get every healthy player on the roster on the field,” Anderson said. “Clark did too, so a rematch between the two teams in the playoffs will probably look very different.”

The win helped try to erase painful recollections of P.C.’s Oct. 11 matchup with Bellevue, a 0-0 tie that three key Pirates knocked out of the game. Starting keeper Aaron Zavolokin went down with a shoulder injury, Kassio Monteiro was treated at Olympic Medical Center for a bloody facial cut and Julio Soto suffered a foot injury.

Peninsula also outshot the West Division’s third-place Bulldogs 16-5 but found posts, crossbars, backstops and the hands of Bulldog keeper Daniel Faundez, but not the back of the net.

At the other end, Torres checked into the match following Zavolokin’s injury and helped keep Bellevue out of the Pirate goal with four saves to combine for the shutout.

The Pirates now prepare to tackle No. 4-ranked Highline at home on Oct. 22 in a match that will likely decide the West Division championship.

“Our rivalry with Highline began because of games like the one on Wednesday,” Anderson said. “It has been a few years since we have had a game of this significance during the regular season for both teams. Highline is playing very good soccer and is probably a bit under-rated with the men being fourth and the women being third.”

The Pirates remain atop the Northwest Athletic Conference Alaska Airlines Coaches Poll as the only unbeaten team in the NWAC in their quest for a third straight NWAC championship. The P.C. men are currently ranked No. 8 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division I Junior College Poll.

NWAC West Division standings

Team               Conf. Over.

Peninsula 8-0-2 10-0-2

Highline 8-1-2 8-2-3

Tacoma 4-6-1 7-8-1

Bellevue 4-6-1 6-6-1

Olympic 0-9-1 2-11-2