The No. 5 Klamath Union boys soccer team came out of the gates with a win in their first Skyline Conference game of the year Thursday at Modoc Field and beat Hidden Valley decisively, 2-0.
The Pelicans had their hearts broken in a tightly contested game just two days before against Class 5A Ashland. The Grizzlies refused to end in a tie with the Pelicans and had the game’s only score with 11 minutes left in the matchup.
KU quickly shook things off.
Klamath Union senior Caleb Morton had likely the most exciting goal thus far in the season for the Pelicans against the Mustangs. Off a stellar pass from freshman Carlos Garcia from nearly the edge of the bottom touch line, Norton broke free of his defenders and found himself in the middle of the box for a header in the 29th minute.
The goal was made possible after Garcia juked his defender and found space to lob a pass to Morton, who confused Hidden Valley goalie Pablo Leavitt with his movements just enough to push the ball into the center of the goal.
Garcia joined in on the fun in the second half.
In the 66th minute, Garcia scored after a perfectly timed pass from defender Callahan Daniels. Daniels sent the ball downfield into open space, and though Hidden Valley’s Abraham Sandeen seemed set to intercept, Garcia surged forward.
Garcia lightly nudged Sandeen, and broke free as he slipped the ball to the left of Leavitt, who collided with Sandeen. Garcia found himself alone about 10 yards from the goal and calmly tapped the ball with his left foot into the net.
The Pelicans will play tomorrow Saturday, September 27 at Eagle Point High School, and will continue conference play Thursday, October 2 at Phoenix High School.
Klamath Union girls soccer
Klamath Union girls soccer left Grants Pass Thursday with a tie in its opening game of the Skyline Conference against Hidden Valley, 1-1.
The Pelicans also had a close game against Class 5A Ashland in an away game and fell this past Monday, 1-0. The girls soccer team will play at Eagle Point High School tomorrow, and will have its first game at Modoc Field this season starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 2 against Phoenix.
Klamath Union football
The Klamath Union Pelicans (1-2) dropped a 25-18 decision to the South Umpqua Lancers (3-0) last Friday. The difference in the game came in the second quarter when the Lancers surged ahead with 17 unanswered points. KU’s defense clamped down in the second half and didn’t allow another score, giving the Pelicans a chance which fell short.
A bright spot came with the season debut of Tuko Saluskin, who hauled in 11 receptions for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
Once again Klamath Union quarterback Reese Johnson put on a show and went 31-for-49 through the air, throwing for 324 yards and three touchdowns, though he also had two interceptions.
Klamath Union plays at 7 p.m. tonight at Sutherlin.
Klamath Union cross country
Klamath Union cross country will compete in the Willamette Golden Hour 5k tomorrow, Saturday, September 27 at Willamette High School in Eugene.
The Pelicans will compete against hefty competition, including schools Junction City, Philomath, Woodburn and Willamette.
The top five runners for each of the boys and girls in the Skyline Conference are all mostly Klamath Union runners.
The top female Skyline runner is Klamath Union junior Hallie Pyfer. Pyfer earned fourth place in the West Orthodontics Invitational on Sept. 9, setting the pace with her best time of the year so far, 19:13.6. Senior Leona Higgins holds the second best time in the conference, 20:22.2, which she also ran at the West Orthodontics Invitational.
Junior Elsie Baumann has the fourth best time, 20:53.0, which came in the same race.
The best male runners in the Skyline Conference can be found at KU, holding the second through fifth fastest times this year.
Junior Jonas Southwell has the second-best finish in the conference so far, running 17:12.4 at the West Orthodontics Invitational.
All of Klamath Union’s top times this year have come at the West Orthodontics Invitational.
Klamath Union’s top boys runners finished within just 13 seconds of each other, as Mark Madsen owns the third-best time (17:20.8), Callum Squibb fourth (17:23.3), and Kanoa Kranz-Kahopea with the No. 5 best time (17:25.3).