If at first you do not succeed, just try and try again.
Sierra went on the attack early Tuesday night, and after a few great looks off the crossbar and uprights, the Timberwolves finally knocked one through on the way to a 6-0 win over visiting Manteca in Valley Oak League boys soccer action at Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stadium.
“We were coming with a lot of pressure,” Timberwolves coach Joe Pires said. “We had a couple of balls off the frame and we just needed a goal, and eventually we got it. We got a very nice header.
“Our weakness this year is that we have plenty of opportunities, but we do not come away with any goals. So coming into this game, we wanted to finish our opportunities and today we did.”
After bouncing two off the frame, it took two perfectly placed corner cooks before Emmanuel Ruiz put the ball in front of the Buffaloes goal on a corner kick for Adrian Ramirez to head in for the first goal for Sierra (3-2 VOL, 6-6 overall).
“I put the second one right where I put the first one,” Ruiz said. “I put it in the exact same spot and my teammate capitalized.”
Ruiz assisted on another goal to Wingsem Zingkhai in the 32nd minute making the score 3-0. Zingkhai tallied an assist in the 29th minute to Jorge Reyes for the second Timberwolves goal.
Reyes made the score 4-0 just before halftime by taking advantage of a clearing error by Manteca (0-3, 2-8) with a steal and quick goal.
“Our whole team was applying pressure,” Reyes said. “Manteca got confused and ended up passing the ball to me and I finished it into the bottom right.”
Sierra added two goals in the second half with Ethan Fraser scoring off of an assist by Alexis Berber and a penalty kick by Adam Montero.
Aiden Dolin-Lara and Diego Velasco split the clean-sheet duties for the Timberwolves with Dolin-Lara getting two first-half saves and Velasco picking up one in the second half.
Manny Ramirez tallied six saves for the Buffaloes.
“Our kids did well,” Manteca coach Isidro Garcia said. “We just have to recognize that Sierra plays really well.
“We have to give them credit because they have really talented players and we did what we could.”
On Thursday at 5:15 p.m., Sierra travels to Oakdale, and the Buffaloes go across town to play East Union later that night at 6:45.
Junior varsity
Sierra 6, Manteca 2
The Timberwolves used a balanced attack in the win.
Sierra’s Alexis Sanchez, Chris Stackpole, Esteban Franco, Johan Arroyo, Mario Duran and Neddy Ramos each tallied a goal.
Mateo Esparza posted both goals for the Buffaloes.
