WEED – In what has to be the biggest win in the history of their soccer program, the Weed Cougars defeated the Tulelake Honkers 3-2 on Thursday. In order to understand the magnitude of the win, one has to look at the two team’s recent history.

Over the last three seasons, the Cougars were a combined 5-31-4. Tulelake was 40-5-0. Tulelake has been to the last three Small Schools Division championship games, winning once. When the teams met last year, Tulelake embarrassed the Cougars 12-1.

Make no mistake. This was a huge win for the Cougars.

About five minutes into the game, you could sense that the Cougars had something going, when Salvador Avila scored a goal worthy of an ESPN highlight segment, making it 1-0. Daniel Paulin had the assist.

More evidence of something special happening for the Cougars surfaced in the twelfth minute when Tulelake hit the crossbar with a shot; it didn’t go in. Just before halftime, a shot got behind Weed goalkeeper Roberto Sanchez, but Sanchez turned and dove for the ball, denying Tulelake the game-tying tally.

Three minutes into the second half, leading 1-0, Jose Luquin, drilled home a pass from Omar Fernandez to extend the lead to 2-0. Luquin likely had no idea that a far bigger shot was yet to come.

Falling behind 2-0 seemed to wakeup the Honkers, and just five minutes later Tulelake’s Migel Hernandez drilled the ball to the back of the net, narrowing the gap to 2-1. Ivan Alvarado assisted on the goal.

After the goal, Tulelake dominated play. At the 62 minute mark, Hernandez scored his second of the game, knotting the match at 2-2. Miguel Navarro assisted. At that point, it appeared as though Weed was in deep trouble.

However, with about 10 minutes remaining, the Cougars showed signs of regaining their composure. Dropping eight players back on defense, Weed Coach Mike Gilmore, was looking to contain the Honkers, and would have settled for a draw.

Then, two minutes into added time, it happened. A Weed player was fouled 35 yards, maybe more, from the Tulelake goal, and Luquin was called upon to take the free kick. At the time, it didn’t seem like a particularly dangerous free kick—but it was.

Luquin blasted a shot towards the upper right corner of the net, past the outstretched hand of the keeper, and into the targeted spot. Weed recaptured the lead 3-2, with a scant minute remaining in added time.

“I wanted that corner, but I panicked when I thought it was going to hit the crossbar,” said Luquin. “When it went in, it was like the 4^th of July.”

A shocked Honker squad was unable mount a serious threat in that final minute.

For Gilmore, it was his first win as a soccer coach.

Asked how it felt to beat a powerhouse like Tulelake for his first win, Gilmore said, “I’m still kind of numb. The kids played great and really started showing and utilizing some of the skills we’ve been working on.”

The Cougars (1-1) will travel to Redding to take on University Prep (1-0-1), on Thursday, September 4.