TRAVERSE CITY -- When it rains, it pours.
Playing in a steady downpour, Traverse City West downed crosstown rival TC Central 4-0 in the two teams' Big North Conference opener.
The forward tandem of Jon Gourlay and Curt Olson proved a formidable one, even in the drenched conditions at the Coast Guard field.
Olson scored two goals in the first half and Gourlay two in the second half to power the Titans.
"Jon and I have been playing together since we were 9 years old," Olson said. "We've never been on different teams. We have a chemistry where we don't have to talk out there to know what the other is thinking."
Not only have they always been on the same teams, they've also played the same positions.
When they both made varsity as sophomores, they were outside midfielders. As juniors, they switched to center mid. This year, they are the team's two strikers up top.
"Jon is someone I think of as a brother," Olson said.
On the club level, Olson and Gourlay are teammates with Dane Macdonell.
On the prep field, it's different.
Macdonell -- Central's goaltender -- finished the game with 12 saves, several of the spectacular variety.
"Dane is probably the best goalie I've ever seen," Olson said after scoring two goals. "I hate doing it to him, but it happens. He shuts me down a lot."
"Dane had some phenomenal saves," Trojans coach Rob Boynton said. "He's a brilliant goalkeeper. He gives us a chance to win every game, because he make it so hard to score goals."
Olson started the scoring 10:42 into the game, taking a perfect pass from Rico Rodriguez and burying it for a 1-0 lead.
Olson made it 2-0 just 3:30 later, hitting the crossbar before getting the ball back and making good on the second opportunity.
"We were excited to play tonight and the kids got off to a good start," West coach Jason Carmien said. "They had a rhythm. When you score goals, you gain confidence."
West came out and secured a 3-0 lead early in the second half, as Gourlay converted on a header off a corner kick by Olson 2:29 in. The Titans started the second half off with a lot of pressure, forcing three consecutive corners, capitalizing on the third.
"We need to score off those re-starts," Carmien said. "We need goals however we can get them."
Gourley scored on another header with 16:17 left for the game's final tally. Olson rushed the net after a pass from Rodriguez.
"I tried to put it upper right, and of course Dane made the save," Olson said, "but Jon was there to get it."
Central had some scoring opportunities from Greg Merica and Trevor Osburn, but West netminder Alex Sanderson was up to the task. He saved all four shots on goal he faced.
"West worked real hard," Boynton said. "They deserved to beat us today and they deserved to beat us 4-0.
"I would have liked to have seen us keep the ball on the ground more and play more communicative as a team."
West (3-1, 1-0 Big North) hosts Utica Eisenhower on Saturday, while Central (2-2-1, 0-1) travels to the Grand Ledge Invitational the same day, playing Grandville in the first round and then either the hosts or St. Johns in their second contest.
"For an early-season game, it's nice to see them play so consistent," Carmien said of his team. "I didn't have 4-0 in my mind when we came here. I know Central will rebound. It's early in the season, so you can't take too much from it."
Central (3-2-1) won the junior varsity game 2-1 on goals by Nick Armour and Kevin Trippe. Nick Wright and Trippe added assists and Josh Lance made seven saves.
Andrew Peck scored a goal for West (0-2).
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