Too bad each half wasn’t five minutes shorter.

The Oak Harbor High School soccer team lost 5-0 to visiting Marysville Getchell Thursday, Oct. 24, and all of the goals were scored in the final minutes of each period.

“We held them for 36 minutes,” Oak Harbor coach Mike Lonborg said, “then…”

The Chargers, who are ranked 15th in the state 3A poll, scored on a free kick, a penalty kick and a stoppable ball that slipped through the Wildcat goalie in the final four minutes of the first half.

Oak Harbor again shut down the Getchell attack for most of the second half, but the Chargers scored with five minutes left and in stoppage time.

“We didn’t do a bad job in the first half,” Lonborg said, “then came the foul. Those last five minutes will get you.”

He added, “We are definitely making improvements. They are starting to believe in themselves.”

In order to qualify for district, Oak Harbor (2-9, 4-9-1) will need to win its final two matches and Stanwood (4-7, 4-9) has to drop its last two.

The two teams meet in Stanwood in the last regular season match at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30.

First, Oak Harbor goes to Everett (1-10, 1-12-1) and Stanwood goes to Marysville-Pilchuck (8-3, 8-6) at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28.