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Photo by Drew Fleming Phoenix's Carlos Corona, right, and Anthony Machado defend a missed shot as Astoria's Nick Niedenthal (9) looks on. Phoenix triumphed 2-1 in overtime. Pirates tap Corona's skill, topple Astoria By KRIS HENRY TALENT -- Carlos Corona isn't exactly the scoring threat opposing coaches game-plan around when preparing for the Phoenix boys soccer team. That's just fine for the Pirates. Their two biggest wins this season have come as a result of the senior defender being taken for granted. Corona scored his first-ever goal Oct. 28 in leading Phoenix to a 1-0 overtime win over St. Mary's that clinched the District 6 championship. On Tuesday, his second career goal again proved timely. Corona lofted a direct kick from 20 yards out to give the Pirates a 2-1 overtime victory over Astoria at Hagler-James Park in the second round of the Class 3A/2A/1A state playoffs. "That was huge," Phoenix coach Dennis Flenner said of Corona's game-winner. "Carlos just keeps coming up big for us when we need it. That's just amazing." Phoenix (11-1-3) advances into Saturday's quarterfinals against Pleasant Hill, a 2-0 winner Tuesday over Western Mennonite. Senior forward Jesse Shorland is confident the Pirates will rise to the challenge. "I think our team comes out every time ready to go," he said. "I think as long as we play our game, we're going to keep going on. I think our team has the skill to go farther." The Pirates had to earn Tuesday's victory the hard way, having to overcome the wind and a one-goal deficit to tie the match and send it into overtime. "I made a tactical error that really could have cost us early," said Flenner. "I went with the wind in the first half thinking we would be able to finish this thing and put them to sleep, and it didn't happen." A near two-week layoff left the Pirates a little rusty in the opening half, enabling Astoria to gain a moral victory with a scoreless tie at halftime and the wind at its back in the second half. Astoria junior Osvaldo Martinez scored the game's first goal in the 44th minute, but the Pirates answered in the 60th minute as senior Masaya Yano slipped a shot between the legs of Astoria's goalie Kiely Bondurant. Yano's goal came off a great give-and-go from sophomore John Hendricks about 10 yards out. Neither team could muster much offense for the rest of regulation as Phoenix goalkeeper Anthony Machado denied the wind-aided Fishermen. After a scoreless first 10-minute overtime, Corona sealed the win for Phoenix midway through the second overtime -- much to the delight of the Pirate faithful. "I think we had more people out here today than we've had all season," said Shorland. "I think it definitely helps to have a home-field advantage." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.