Enumclaw Soccer: Hornets hope to climb back into driver’s seat

The Enumclaw High Hornets are looking for big things this week as they hope to climb back into the South Puget Sound League 3A soccer standings.

Their climb should be made easier by the schedule, which had the Hornets hosting Clover Park Tuesday and then playing host Friday to the Lakes Lancers. Results of the Tuesday game came too late to report here but will be posted at www.courierherald.com.

Through games of last week, Lakes and Clover Park were eighth and ninth, respectively, in the nine-team SPSL 3A. The teams had combined to go 1-21-1 on the season and 0-8 in league play.

Heading into this crucial week the Hornets sat at 1-1-2 in SPSL 3A play, good for seventh place. Enumclaw coach Skip Ashley knows his team has to take advantage of this week’s opportunities if the Hornets are to climb into the top five and qualify for postseason play. He also knows things could shuffle dramatically during the final two weeks of the regular season.

“I’m not too worried about the standings right now,” Ashley said. Instead, he’s focusing on what his team can get accomplished during its final four contests.

The Hornets had the opportunity to rattle the league standings a bit Friday when they traveled to Franklin Pierce and lost 2-1 to the Cardinals. Dylan Riley scored early for EHS, but Franklin Pierce tied things later in the first half and added a winning goal in the second period.

The victory allowed the Cardinals to move into second place.

Enumclaw had picked up an easy nonleague victory April 21, defeating visiting Timberline High 4-0.

“All the bounces went our way,” Ashley said, explaining a game in which Luke Andrew, Nathan Bundy and Mitch Stewart scored first-half goals. Stewart added another tally in the second period to cap the scoring.

Contact Enumclaw Courier Herald Senior Writer, Editor Kevin Hanson at editor@courierherald.com or 360-802-8205.

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