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Archive for the ‘Boys Soccer’ Category

“I love the intensity of the game!!”

Posted in Boys Soccer, tagged , , , on March 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Andre Avila

Andre Avila

Andre Avila plays to his own beat.

On the soccer pitch and off, where he’s pursuing a dream of making hip hop music, the Coupeville High School junior moves fast and furious.

“I love the intensity of the game. It brings out the competitive side of me when I’m in the game,” Avila said. “I think my strengths are my aggressiveness and speed.”

This is his first year as a soccer player, but it’s a sport that has a history in his family.

“I’ve always been interested in the sport, since my dad used to play and told me I should play,” Avila said. “I also was encouraged by friends to play, so it’s always been on my mind.

“I tried out for Oak Harbor High’s team (before) and didn’t make it, so you bet I’m out to prove something this season.”

In his short time on the pitch, he’s already developed a taste for scoring, something that tops his to-do list.

“One goal I have is to score a goal or goals this season, that’s my biggest goal,” Avila said. “My second is to play a couple varsity games and letter in soccer, which would require practice, so I will work as hard as I can this season to achieve that goal.”

He realizes he’ll have to fine-tune his skill set to make the jump up to the varsity squad, something he works on each day.

“I need to work on my ball handling,” Avila said “When I have the ball, I have a hard time controlling it, so I push myself to work on as much as I can in practice so I can translate that in games.”

Away from the pitch, he’s an avid hoops player and devotes a fair amount of time to pursuing his love of music.

“I’m really interested in making hip hop music now and as a career if possible,” Avila said. “I have a music production class in which I make music in and that’s one way I spend my time when I’m not in soccer.”

Whether he’s laying down beats or rampaging up-field with the ball, he knows his biggest fan will always be there for him.

“My grandma has been a huge impact on my life,” Avila said. “She has always been there for me no matter what, she really encourages me to better myself and want to achieve my goals in life and never give up even when I want to.

“She ultimately encourages me to do better and I love her for everything she does for me.”

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McCormick “a ninja” in narrow loss!!

Posted in Boys Soccer, tagged , , , , , on March 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Connor McCormick gets his close-up.

   Connor McCormick showed “ninja reflexes” while starting in goal Saturday in place of the injured Joel Walstad. (Wendy McCormick photo)

Jeremiah Pace (1

   Jeremiah Pace (17) and Zach Nall (11) put in work during the JV game. (Janine Bundy photo)

It’s been a brutal start.

Three games into the season and the Coupeville High School boys’ soccer squad has faced a pair of 2A schools and a 1A state title contender.

Combined, their three foes went 45-13-2 last year and seem primed to make similar runs this season.

Toss in a handful of injuries — starting Wolf goalie Joel Walstad missed Saturday’s game, a 4-0 non-conference loss at Kingston — and the team’s 0-3 start is not terribly surprising.

But, there are bright spots, and promise that the season can turn around.

Backup goalie Connor McCormick played strongly in place of Walstad, limiting Kingston to just a goal in the first half.

“Connor was AMAZING! The score may not reflect it, but holy cow!!!,” said exuberant Wolf soccer mom Janine Bundy. “Connor had Ninja reflexes!”

CHS coach Kyle Nelson, a bit more, shall we say, low-key, also felt his squad played well for at least part of the game.

“We had a pretty good first half, being down only 1-0,” Nelson said. “Our injuries and being short-handed because of guys not being able to make this game caught up to us in the second half.

“Hopefully we are through our toughest games of the season,” he added. “Though I really have very little info on our next opponent, Cascade Christian. So, we will see.”

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Sage Downes has a golden toe!!

Posted in Boys Soccer, tagged , , , , on March 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Aram Leyva (Pat Kelley photo)

   Aram Leyva (center, looking at camera) and teammates won 2-1 Saturday. (Pat Kelley photo)

The Coupeville connection paid off again.

Getting a goal from Sage Downes and inspired play from fellow Coupeville Middle School booters like Aram Leyva, Matthew Kelley and Jake Mitten, the North Whidbey Islanders Boys FC-01 soccer squad ran away to another win Saturday.

The Islanders bounced visiting Snohomish United 2-1 in the third meeting of the teams.

All three matches have played out to the exact same score, and all have finished in favor of Whidbey.

Downes goal, which broke a scoreless tie, came on a short chip after he snagged a ball that had been blocked, but not contained, by the Snohomish goaltender.

The Islanders are in second place in NPSL play and return to action with a double header in South Whidbey Saturday, Mar. 28.

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“Playing with the pack is a privilege!!”

Posted in Boys Soccer, tagged , , , , , on March 21, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Ryan Freeman

Ryan Freeman

It started as a way to be active. Now it’s become his passion.

Coupeville High School senior Ryan Freeman started playing soccer as a sophomore, the first organized sports he had played since putting in eight years of baseball before high school.

“I thought it would be fun and I needed some means of exercise,” he said with a laugh.

Once he got out on the pitch, Freeman discovered a love for the game, and the way it made him a part of a second family.

“I enjoy the game, playing soccer is fun in general, but it’s more than that,” he said. “It’s being a part of the Wolves and the title I’ve gotten from it.

“Playing with all the pack is a privilege.”

On the pitch Freeman is a forward, which allows him to use his primary weapon.

“I would say that my strengths are speed. I’d say I’m pretty fast,” he said. “But not for long. Sprints are my strengths.

“My areas of improvement would be ball control and pass efficiency.”

While he’s always looking for the big play and wants to be part of a winning program, he realizes he’s not part of a soccer dynasty. Though that could change.

“My goals for the season are to try my hardest and have fun doing so,” Freeman said. “It’s Coupeville sports, and what I have learned from the years playing is that it’s best not to dwell on the scores of the games, but to enjoy the game and keep improving along with the team.”

Away from the game, he’s in Honor Society (“When I’m not playing soccer I’m usually doing homework … lame”), enjoys his Physics and Contemporary Issues CP classes, listens to a variety of music and is a huge video game fan.

“Video games are my jam,” Freeman said. “Huge nerd over here!”

His family and friends, both on the soccer team and in his non-sports worlds, have had a huge impact on helping to shape his life.

“It wouldn’t be possible to play soccer if I didn’t have support from my family at home,” Freeman said. “Being involved in the team and giving each other support and helping each other to improve throughout the seasons has made me who I am.

“Support from all my friends is why I am here today.”

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Rough night on the pitch!!

Posted in Boys Soccer, tagged , , , , , on March 19, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Wolf defenders Keegan Kortuem (18) and Oscar Liquidano (4), seen here during the jamboree, (Wendy McCormick photo)

Wolf defenders Keegan Kortuem (18) and Oscar Liquidano (4), seen here during the jamboree, played strongly Thursday in a losing effort. (Wendy McCormick photo)

Well, at least it didn’t rain all night.

The fact the liquid coldness only splattered down here and there Thursday was about the lone bright spot on a rough night for the Coupeville High School boys’ soccer squad.

Facing a tough South Whidbey squad that returned virtually everyone from a team that made the state quarterfinals a year ago, the Wolves didn’t get their first shot on goal until three minutes into the second half.

Toss in the loss of starting goaltender Joel Walstad (he sat out the second half after limping off at halftime) and the resulting 9-0 defeat wasn’t pretty.

But, with Coupeville having moved to the Olympic League, it was a non-conference loss, and, while it dropped the Wolves to 0-2, there is still a lot of soccer left to play.

The health of Walstad is a concern, and the team’s inability to break into the scoring column in the first two games another.

The Wolves spent much of the first half backpedaling as the Falcons aggressively pushed the pace of the game.

South Whidbey got in the scoring column a slim 1:33 into the game, then tacked on four more scores before the break.

One came off a highly questionable penalty kick awarded to a player whose goal was followed by a loud, popular chorus of “You’re still a flopper, dude!!” from the Coupeville JV players in the stands.

With Walstad on the bench in the second half, and backup goalie Connor McCormick unavailable after playing the entire JV game, Coupeville rustled up goaltender clothes for junior defender Tanner Kircher and threw him out there to fend as best as possible.

He actually did fairly well, making several impressive saves while fending off a barrage of Falcon shots.

Up front, the Wolves finally broke through for several shots on goal, getting pushes from Zane Bundy, Garrett Compton and others, but were turned away by South Whidbey goalie Charlie Stelling.

JV shut out:

It was largely the same story in the night’s opening contest, as South Whidbey breezed to a 6-0 win.

The Falcons only took 1:04 in this one to score their first goal, but it was the visiting goaltender who exited early after being blown up by rampaging Wolf Laurence Boado on a play in front of the net.

McCormick did his best to limit the high-powered Falcon offense, but the night’s best save was a team effort.

Down on the ground after stopping a shot, McCormick managed to get his hand on a second shot, but the ball took a South Whidbey skip, with an incoming Falcon having a seemingly wide-open third try at the net.

He failed, however, when Wolf midfielder Taylor Chiles suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the mouth of the goal, sacrificing his body and blocking the shot out of bounds with his hip.

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