By Tim Clinton

SPORTS EDITOR

Adair Ramirez knocked a bouncing ball under the lip of the goal net into the back in the closing seconds to lift the Evergreen boys soccer team to a 3-2 victory over Tyee in a non-league match Friday.

“It was very exciting,” said Wolverines assistant coach Patrick O’Brien, who was filling in for head coach Jordan Baninger. “We tried to push the numbers up at the end. I think we outplayed them most of the game. It was a good start for us.”

Tyee was coming off a 0-0 tie against Kent-Meridian in another non-league match.

“By the second half we played much better,” said Totems head coach Seyti Sidibay. “We have a lot of new guys and a lot of returners. We’re just trying to blend everybody together.”

Evergreen scored the first goal of Friday’s game with 25 minutes, 55 seconds remaining on the first half clock as Juan Castellon found the back of the net.

Tyee tied it up again at the 21:50 mark on a shot from about 18 yards out by Cesar Santamaria on the right side.

“I thought Tyee’s first goal was fantastic,” said Evergreen’s O’Brien.

The score stood through halftime until 36:25 remained in the second half.

Saul Romero of the Wolverines punched a penalty kick off the hands of Tyee goalie Gurpall Singh and into the left side to make it a 2-1 match in favor of Evergreen.

But the Totems were not done yet, tying it up again with about 14:50 to go.

This time Devonte Brooks did the honors, striking from the far left side.

That set the stage for the heroics of Ramirez in the end.

Ramirez tried bumping in one shot from close range and it ricocheted between the ground and the lip of the goal net and back out slightly to him again, and he responded with a point-blank shot into the back of the net to win it.

“I think you’re going to see some good soccer from us this year,” said O’Brien on his way out of Highline Memorial Stadium to the team bus. “I think 3-2 was an exciting way to start the season.”