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Abbott's OT goal boosts Tornado over Comets CENTRAL POINT -- Two losses to start the Southern Oregon Conference season might have been fatal to North Medford's post-season boys soccer hopes. For a while, it looked as if that might happen Saturday as the Black Tornado twice fell behind the Crater Comets before notching a 3-2 overtime victory. North's Aaryn Abbott delivered the knockout blow seven minutes into the second overtime period, burying a shot from 20 yards out after taking a pass from Johnny Whitaker. "We didn't want to go to Ashland down 0-2 next Saturday," North Medford coach Rich Garcia said. "Being 1-1 is really good right now." Crater jumped in front three minutes into the match when Todd Sesock redirected a crossing pass from Cody Holm into the North goal. With 14 minutes left in the half, Whitaker broke away from his defender after taking a pass from Scott Jolly. Crater took a 2-1 lead with 13 minutes to play in regulation after the Comets' Jason Licato was taken down in the box. On the penalty kick, Sesock scored on a shot that grazed the bottom of the crossbar. North went on the offensive, but failed to penetrate until just 20 seconds remained when Whitaker headed the ball into a crowd in front of the Comets' goal. The ball richocheted off a Crater player and went into the goal. "We never gave up," said Garcia, who left Providence hospital Friday to run a practice after having his gall bladder removed two days earlier. "It showed the team's character. We had a lot of guys play big. Dominic Crenshaw did a great job in the midfield and Josh Grace and Dan Ferris played well defensively." Crater's hopes suffered a blow two minutes into the second half when Holm was issued his second yellow card of the day and had to leave. Holm led the Comets in scoring last year. The outcome was eerily familiar to the Comets (6-1-1, 1-1 SOC), who lost to North Medford in overtime for the third straight year. KLAMATH UNION 9, EAGLE POINT 0 --Luis Garcia registered a hat trick and Krister Balme and Phil Van Buren each contributed two goals as Klamath Union blasted Eagle Point. The Pelicans (3-3-1, 1-1 SOC) soared to a 6-0 halftime lead and then substituted freely in the second half. Phil Card and Raul Garcia scored Klamath Union's other goals. The Pelicans had a 22-3 advantage in shots on goal and a 4-0 edge in corner kicks. ROSEBURG 2, GRANTS PASS 0 -- At Roseburg, Brad Coen accounted for both goals as Roseburg improved to 2-0 in the SOC and 8-1 overall. Coen knocked in the first goal with an assist from Blair Brundige eight minutes into the game. Coen struck again 10 minutes into the second half drilling home David Defea's corner kick. Grants Pass fell to 0-2 in conference. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.