Clark, Peninsula Men advance to Sunday’s NWAACC Championship match

TUKWILA, WA— The Peninsula Pirates Men matched their Women counterparts score for score on Saturday. PCC stopped the Walla Walla Warriors 2:0 to advance to the NWAACC Final on Sunday against the Clark College Penguins. Earlier in the day the PCC Women had beaten Walla Walla 2:0. Now both defending champs have a chance to repeat.

In 2012 the Pirates beat the Warriors in the Final to take the title.

It was closer than the final score, with the Pirates putting one in on a late breakway in the final seconds after Walla Walla had pushed everyone forward.

The Clark College Penguins managed a 90th minute equalizer and then topped the Highline Thunderbirds 2:1 in overtime.

Clark is back in the championship match for the first time since 2007 when the Penguins topped Spokane to win it all.

The Final kicks off at 5:30 tomorrow at Starfire.

Photos: Pirates v. Warriors by Jeff Halstead

Photos: Penguins v. Thunderbirds by Jeff Halstead

Photos: Clark v. Highline by Shayna Gosney

The Clark Penguins scored at the death and in overtime to crush the hopes of the Highline Thunderbirds. (Shayna Gosney)

Clark 2:1 Highline 1 OT

Highline looked to have the match sewed up in the 90th minute with a 1-0 lead and playing on the about the third minute of extended referee’s time.

That’s when thing went wrong for the Thunderbirds. Clark’s Jesse De Leon’s free kick from 45 yards out directed at the heart of the Highline goal created a two team scramble with Nino Jimenez tapping the ball just across the line to get the Penguins back in the mix.

Clark wrapped up a trip to the championship in the 98th minute when Gustavo Gonzalez crossed a shot from the Highline end line that Bernardino Jimenez connected on for the victory.

Clark outshot the Thunderbirds 16-9. Penguin’s Johnathan Morales had 6 saves to Highline’s Nick Rostato’s 13

The Thunderbirds celebrate taking a 1:0 lead. (Shayna Gosney)

Peninsula 2:0 Walla Walla

The Warriors outshot the Pirates 5-2 in the first half, but Peninsula made the most of its two shots when Alex Martinez headed a pass to Ashkanov Apollon in the 22nd minute. Apollon beat three WWCC defenders and drilled a shot into the near post to put PC up 1-0.

The Pirates sealed the deal after the 90th minute – on the ref’s extra time – when Erick Urzua passed a ball upfield to Victor Sanchez. Sanchez launched a lofting shot from 45 yards out that drifted over the WWCC keeper who got caught holding a more offensive minded position about 30 yards out of the goal.

Derek Carver had 4 saves for WWCC while PC keeper Angel Guerra saved 2 shots on goal and earned the shutout in the process.