EVERETT — In the past, when Monroe’s Andrew Barrett has rolled out of bed on a Saturday morning, the last thing on his mind has been scoring goals.
This Saturday was quite different for both Barrett and the Bearcats boys soccer team, which thanks to four goals from its senior captain, dispatched Mariner 5-3 at Goddard Stadium in an unfamiliar weekend afternoon matchup.
Monroe coach Ryan Schaeffer couldn’t have been more proud after the game.
“Unbelievable. Unstoppable,” he said, describing Barrett’s performance.
The victory in the play-in game to the District 1 4A playoffs gives Monroe (9-6-2 overall) a chance at revenge against a Snohomish team (10-5-1) that already came out ahead in the teams’ two regular-season meetings.
The soft-spoken Barrett was humble talking about his impressive day.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Barrett, a forward, who normally plays defense on his club team and has never scored more than twice in a game. “I was just in the right place at the right time I guess.
“I didn’t really expect to get on a roll there.”
Monroe scored quickly when Marauder keeper Martin Banuelos fouled a Bearcat forward just outside of the goalie box, setting up a penalty kick for Barrett, who converted and gave Monroe a 1-0 lead in the third minute.
Early on, the Mariner (8-9) offense controlled the game, consistently putting pressure on the Monroe defenders with its forwards.
In the ninth minute, Eduardo Tamayo made a nice deep run through the center of the Bearcat defense, getting off a hard shot that bounced off the post and trickled in front of the goal line. Goalie Jose Perez Jr. and Jose Garibay collided fighting to keep the ball from crossing the line and knocked it over the line in the process, tying the score.
The Mariner attack seemed buoyed by the goal and two minutes later Jakub Rynkiewicz scored with an assist from Yahir Sandoval for a 2-1 lead.
Mariner got a key defensive play from Cristhian Robles, who — with the goalie out of the box — jumped to head away a ball at the top corner of the goal.
On the ensuing corner kick, Monroe’s Quinn Coan booted a waist-high shot that passed the length of the goal and found Barrett unguarded at the far post for a .point-blank goal in the 17th minute.
Five minutes later, Jack Fortune collected a Coan corner and flipped a one-timer to Barrett, who netted his third score, giving Monroe a 3-2 lead.
Two bobbled saves led to Monroe goals in the 46th and 48th minutes. Barrett collected an assist when he kicked a ball and Banuelos misplayed it, allowing Chris Sowler to get the easy finish. Then Barrett netted his fourth score off another sloppy play that bounced off the Marauder keeper.
Mariner coach Vince Desimone was less effusive with praise of Barrett and more frustrated with his defense, especially Banuelos, a goalie he called after the game, “one of the best I’ve ever had.”
“Our keeper was not all that he’s capable of today,” Desimone said. “Everything went (Barrett’s) way. Everything dropped right by him.”
Sandoval, who had been getting roughed up by the Monroe defense all day and got a yellow card when he retaliated early in the second half, restored the flame of the Mariner offense in the 55th minute with a bending goal on a free kick from the football 25-yard line.
The Marauders put pressure on for the final 25 minutes but many close attempts led to no scores. It was the last game for five Mariner seniors including Rynkiewicz, who will likely play college soccer somewhere in state next year.
Monroe meanwhile turns its eyes to the Panthers.
“We really want to beat them because we lost both times during the season and we beat them last year,” Barrett said. “It’s always a great game against them.”
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