Finishing scoring opportunities wasn’t a problem this time for Hoquiam in soccer.

Scoring five times in the first 32 minutes, the Grizzlies trounced short-handed Elma, 8-1, in an Evergreen 1A League boys soccer contest on April 24 at marshy Sea Breeze Oval.

Hoquiam (4-1, 8-4) easily took the first of three intra-Harbor showdowns this week that could untangle the jumbled Evergreen 1A standings. Elma (3-2, 5-7-1) visits league co-leader Montesano tonight. Hoquiam then hosts Monte on Thursday.

Six Grizzlies divided up the scoring, with Jose Juarez and Connor Darras tallying twice apiece.

Ironically, Hoquiam had been a scoring slump of late, although they hadn’t lacked for chances in most of those contests.

“We could not find the net to save our souls and that was our emphasis going into the game,” HHS coach Fidel Sanchez said. “Today, we played a very complete game. We got a lot of attacks, a lot of possessions and a lot of attempts on goal.”

The Eagles were without four varsity performers Monday due to a variety of reasons. According to Elma coach Carson Seaberg, they have lost four starters over the course of several weeks.

“We’re just missing people,” Seaberg observed. “You start moving people around and it puts us behind the eight ball. It’s Hoquiam’s job to take advantage of that and they did.”

The Grizzlies needed less than 90 seconds to open the scoring on literally their first shot of the match. Juarez dribbled past two defenders on a run down the left side and poked about a 5-yard shot past goalkeeper A.J. Hernandez.

“That set the tone for the rest of the game,” Sanchez noted.

Hoquiam then put it away with four goals within a 10-minute span midway the first half.

When the Eagles were unable to clear a Naz Mazariegos cross, junior midfielder Carlos Juarez (Jose’s older brother) found the net from about 8 yards out.

Carlos Juarez was taken down in the box about two minutes later. Darras tucked the ensuing penalty kick into the lower left corner.

Hoquiam sophomore Andy Garcia made it 4-0 with about a 15-yard shot that deflected off Hernandez’s hands and into the net. Mazariegos connected from a hard right angle in the 32nd minute.

Senior forward Trace Thompson broke the scoring ice for Elma by bombing about a 35-yard howitzer past Grizzly goalkeeper Johnny Smith during stoppage time near the end of the first half.

A few minutes after somehow overshooting an open net from point-blank range, Jose Juarez atoned by converting a cross from Juventino Perez in the 49th minute.

Darras cashed in on a breakaway after two Eagles collided in the 65th minute. Gregory Dick, moving up from his customary defender’s position, made a penalty kick with about seven minutes remaining.

Hernandez prevented even greater damage with a couple of nice stops — including a classic kick save of a Darras shot in the second half.

Darras and Jose Juarez were cited by Sanchez for fine performances.

Seaberg cited the play of Thompson and freshman midfielder Christian DelaConcha.

Seattle Christian thumped Elma 8-0 in a non-league contest Tuesday, April 18, at Davis Field. Elma defeated the Forks Spartans 2-1 on April 20.