SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Federal Way had a two-goal lead over Decatur 20 minutes in and that was enough to hold on against a hard-charging rival in the second half, getting a 2-0 victory at Federal Way Memorial Friday.

Eagles head coach Jason Baumgardt likes what he is seeing.

"Again, excellent game," said Baumgardt.

The Eagles have gone from an abysmal 2-7 league season last year to a startling and sterling 6-0-1 mark to lead the South Puget Sound League South through the first half of the season. Thomas Jefferson is second at 6-1-1 and the Gators are in the thick of things at 3-2-1.

The Gators probably won't vie for first like the Eagles and Raiders, but it's fair to say all three are in the playoff picture.

Decatur's Justyn Scholze spent time talking to his players, too. One can only guess, and, probably correctly, that he must be frustrated with so many chances to have scored in the second half.

The Eagles' junior sweeper and captain Omar Cruz, spoke again to his consortium of teammates as he customarily does after each game. And, it almost sounds like a goal to just make the playoffs is no longer just on these Eagles' minds. That is a lot of mindful thought since the Eagles have not even flown to the playoffs the last four years in boys soccer.

"We definitely can't let down the second half of the season," said Cruz, his teammates gathered around him listening after the game after Baumgardt had spoken postively of their effort. "On three, Eagles, let's go."

And that's how the first place SPSL South team parted ways one more time, with a huge, quick bit of good inspiring and dogmatic (practical) words from Cruz.

The first goal came in the 14th minute for the Eagles as senior center midfielder Murphy Campbell sent a nice-paced grounder from the 40-yard line all the way into the 18-yard box. And senior forward Lalo Moralles was there to trap the ball. Then the Eagles' striker pivoted with the ball to put himself in position in front of the Gator defender before him. With a fake left and a dribble right, Moralles placed the ball into the far-post corner.

The Eagles, who outshot the Gators 5-0 in the first 15 minutes, got a second round of justice for their continuing hard work pressuring the Gator defenders early on.

Goal number two came at the 19th minute mark when Moralles ran down the left side quickly dribbling the ball on the run and then he made a great cross to Andrew Hair's foot. Hair mis-struck the ball on an open goal from point-blank range. But Hair recovered to get the ball a couple feet from him and back-heel the ball into the open net.

Decatur, in the final 15 minutes of the first half, finally became the aggressor, getting four shots on goal and equalizing the Eagles' number of cornerkicks, two each. Kevin Day nearly reached a foot on the ball after a nice lift in from the midfield that saw it bounce into the 18-yard box corner.