Soccer: Auburn Riverside gave Kent-Meridian all they could handle

The Ravens are building toward future.

By Benjamin Ray • May 1, 2024 5:06 pm

Auburn Riverside may have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but their play despite a 3-1 loss was something that manager Randy Jones can handle.

The Ravens took on a tough Kent-Meridian side at the apex of their league title hopes. The Royals needed a win, so the Ravens were trying to play spoiler April 30. They did just that for about 92% of the game, but couldn’t hold on.

“They were doing everything we had asked them all season and they sustained it for 76 minutes,” Jones said.

In the first half, the Ravens had the best chance of either side, especially in the latter portions of the opening half. Eric Romero got parallel and smashed a short cross from Guilexander Barajas, but went right into the hands of the Kent-Meridian keeper.

That was really it, from either side, until the second half.

In that final half of play, the action was immediate. The Ravens kept their foot on the gas and may have caused some panic for the title-hoping Royals.

“They just played. They were loving the game… I loved it,” Jones said.

Two minutes into the second quarter, a botched Kent-Meridian clearance put the ball right at Barajas’ feet. He perfectly guided the ball from about 15 yards out, into the bottom left corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Almost immediately following, the Royals netted the game-tying goal in the 47th minute. The 1-1 score went all the way to the end before Auburn Riverside looked like they ran out of gas. The second goal came from an excellent display of skill from Andres Zuluaga in the 77th minute as he sliced through the Raven defense.

Following the second goal for Kent-Meridian, Delano Valerio put the nail in the Ravens’ coffin just one minute later.

The Ravens may have missed the playoffs and had a down season, but they are only losing three players from their varsity roster. That gives Jones some promise and hope for the future.

“One of the things that I loved about this game is they are the first place team, we are the fifth place team. It’s not like we weren’t in it,” Jones said.

Jones sees the shortcomings of this season as motivation for not only next year, but the years following: “I’m going to use this to my advantage. The fact that we didn’t make the playoffs, it won’t happen again.”