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North girls continue on playoff drive By GREG L. STILES Klamath Union tried to pressure North Medford out of its comfort zone Saturday afternoon. But when all was said and done, the Black Tornado remained on course for a share of the Southern Oregon Conference girls soccer championship with a 3-1 victory at Varsity Field. The already hobbled Pelicans -- they are without Sara Davison, one of their top players, who is out for the year with a knee injury -- incurred even greater injury. Three players sustained ankle injuries in the second half. "Basically, this was a must-win situation for us if we were going to the playoffs," veteran Klamath Union coach Gerrin DeGroot said. "We gave it everything we had physically. North's a better team, and the only way we had a chance against them was applying a lot of pressure." The win leaves North Medford tied with South Medford atop the SOC standings with a regular-season finale looming Tuesday at Grants Pass. The Tornado's ultimate goal of advancing deep into the Class 4A state playoffs remains the same, but the path will likely be different from what it hoped. North's chances of winning the SOC title outright and obtaining the accompanying top seed to the playoffs were greatly hindered Oct. 13 when South Medford defeated North, 4-3, in a shootout. South stumbled last Saturday against Roseburg, opening the door for North to share the SOC championship. But if the Panthers, as expected, win at Klamath Union Tuesday, they earn the No. 1 seed to state. South would host the Valley League's No. 3 team on Nov. 6 in the state playoffs. If the scenario plays out, runner-up North would get a home match against the Midwestern League No. 3 squad. "We're a mature team," North senior midfielder Katie Longan said. "After South, we had to keep pushing and work toward what we've wanted." Fourth-year North coach Dick Darcy likens the Pelicans' approach to what the Tornado can expect in the playoffs. "This is probably the best kind of game we could have going into the playoffs," Darcy said. "There won't be any powder puffs in the playoffs. It was a test of character, and the girls did a tremendous job of staying calm. The teams out of the (Willamette) Valley will be physical, and that's part of the game." After surrendering a penalty kick with 22 minutes left in the first half, North gained a 1-1 tie at the half, followed by two unanswered goals in the second half. Klamath's Sam Gilbert sent a penalty kick soaring above North goalie Hawley Puett's reach for the first goal, but the 1-0 advantage lasted less than eight minutes. Shortly after a goal by North's Katie Longan off a corner kick was disallowed, teammate Jamie MacLauchlan launched a corner kick that sophomore McKenzie Weiler nudged past KU goalie Katrina Collins. The Tornado got off four more shots before the half, including a near miss by Tennille Bennett. The senior forward strafed the Pelican goal with three more shots in the first 16 minutes of the second half. The third was deflected by Collins to Weiler, who knocked the rebound into the net for a 2-1 advantage. "We were working well as a team there," said Weiler, who doubled her season's output to four goals. "The adrenalin was flowing, and when the ball bounced back out, I kicked it in." Weiler had a foot in North's final goal, setting up Christine Cameron for a 12-yarder with 10:35 to play. Cameron's shot went left to right -- just beyond Collins' reach. "That third goal put them down two and they pretty much knew they couldn't come back," Bennett said. "It's pretty tough to get through our defense." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.