Pasco on to Class 4A state soccer quarterfinals

One of the great Tri-Cities soccer families shined Tuesday night, as brothers Kevin and Jesus Meraz-Rodriguez scored Pasco High School’s first three goals to lead the Bulldogs in a 4-0 rout of Mt. Rainier in the opening round of the Class 4A boys state soccer tournament at Edgar Brown Stadium.

Kevin Meraz-Rodriguez, a sophomore defender, got the scoring started in the second minute with a free kick set up by a Rams handball just outside the penalty box. He struck the chance well and buried the ball in the top right corner to beat Mt. Rainier goalkeeper Alex Weaver.

“(Kevin) had told me that he wanted to score, and I said, ‘The first free kick we get this next game, I’m gonna let you take it,’ ” said junior forward Jesus Meraz-Rodriguez, the Mid-Columbia Conference co-player of the year. “It felt good, I saw him celebrating and I took off after him.”

Jesus Meraz-Rodriguez quickly matched the play of his younger brother with goals in the eighth and 14th minutes to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

The eldest of the Meraz-Rodriguez brothers, Emilio, a 2015 Pasco graduate who plays for Walla Walla Community College, was in the stands at Edgar Brown Stadium. Jesus said Emilio’s presence inspired him.

“He told me, ‘When you get in a position like this, you make sure you cut (the defender) out and take it on the run and finish,’ ” Jesus said of his first goal, when he won a lob pass from midfield and dribbled into the box for a left-footed finisher.

Pasco sophomore goalkeeper Francisco Moreno was a big reason the Bulldogs were able to cruise to the state quarterfinals.

The Rams mounted several dangerous scoring chances, including one in the 32nd minute, when Mt. Rainier sophomore forward Manuel Chaparro-Burgos pulled Moreno out of the net on a 50-50 ball. But the Pasco keeper stayed resilient throughout to preserve the clean sheet.

“He had two huge saves for us, so very, very pleased about getting the shutout,” Pasco coach Matt Potter said.

With the game already in hand, freshman midfielder Edwin Aquino scored in the 76th minute to solidify Pasco’s victory.

Central Valley defeated Davis 2-1 on Tuesday, which gives the Bulldogs a rematch with the team that knocked them out of the state quarterfinals a year ago.

It’s an opportunity Pasco players and coaches alike are relishing.

“We’re hoping to take it, beat them and get revenge from last year,” said senior forward Hector Magana, the MCC co-player of the year. “That’s what we were looking for — we’re looking for revenge. We were hoping to get them. We’ll get the game, and we’ll win.”

Pasco will kick off against Central Valley at 1 p.m. Saturday at Spokane Falls Community College.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 9:25 PM with the headline "Pasco on to Class 4A state soccer quarterfinals."