It wasn’t so much that Auburn Riverside Ravens fell into a soccer trap.

It just took them a while to determine how to stay out of one.

A couple of timely goals certainly aided their learning process. Dalen Leverenz scored with about 10 seconds remaining in the first half, and Oscar Diaz tallied early in the second half as the Ravens stamped their return ticket to state with a 3-0 victory against Peninsula in last Saturday’s Class 3A West Central-Southwest District playoffs.

The Ravens, newly crowned South Puget Sound League 3A champions, began state play Tuesday night against Shorecrest (results unavailable).

An Auburn Riverside victory against the Scots would mean a spot in the quarterfinals later this week against the Mercer Island-Hudson’s Bay first-round winner. A loss to Shorecrest would end the Ravens’ season.

For the first 50 minutes of last Saturday’s game at Highline Stadium, Riverside got all it could handle from Peninsula — including a defensive scheme known as an offside trap, which can be frustratingly effective against the opposition for those teams able to make it work.

“It’s not something you see day in and day out,” Ravens coach Robyn Saarenas said. “It was an interesting tactic, and it had us on our heels in the first half. We couldn’t break through it, couldn’t figure it out. I give (Peninsula) credit — it took us a half to figure it out.”

Leverenz’ goal came on an assist from Dalton Thomas, sending Auburn Riverside into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

Oscar Diaz doubled the edge to 2-0 in the 54th minute with his 10th goal of the season. Matt Zeman picked up the assist. Then with less than two minutes left, Michael Rancipher scored on an assist from Erin Lane.

Derek Hawn got the shutout in goal for the Ravens, his sixth of the season.

4A WCD: Jefferson 2, Stadium 1

After spotting Stadium an early lead, Ernan Roman scored midway through the first half, and Chase Hanson tallied midway through the second to boost Jefferson past the Tigers last Saturday in a West Central District game, and into the Class 4A state tournament.

Jefferson (10-4-4) began state play on Tuesday at Shorewood (loser out, results unavailable). A Raiders victory would mean a quarterfinal game later this week against the Beamer-Bothell first-round survivor.

Roman’s goal was his seventh of the year, tying him with Chris Miller for the team lead. Hanson notched his third.