Matthew Ward pushes the attack. (Finn Price photo)
Friday Harbor has been to the mountain top, while Coupeville is still trying to learn all the tricks of the ascent.
A Wolverines boys’ soccer program which has a state title in its resume showed calmness under pressure Tuesday, turning a one-goal game into a runaway win on the road.
Unable to hold on to an early lead, the CHS co-ed booters eventually fell 8-3 in a game in which the final score was a bit deceptive.
The non-conference loss to a conference team (just go with it) drops the Wolves to 0-2-1 on the still-young season.
While Coupeville coach Robert Wood was understandably frustrated afterward — “The captains and coaches are talking how and what needs to change to ensure we can hold a one-goal lead indefinitely” — the game was close for 50+ minutes.
Trailing just 4-3, the Wolves were looking to knot the score in the second half, only to watch Friday Harbor suddenly slip away.
Two goals in a 90-second span widened the margin to 6-3, before the Wolverines tacked on another pair of scores in the waning minutes.
Coupeville goaltender Hurlee Bronec had several strong saves in the second half, including one where he snuffed out a shot at point-blank range, but he was also under fire almost constantly.
Wolf goaltender Hurlee Bronec punishes the soccer ball. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
A pair of yellow cards assessed to the Wolves also seemed to put a hitch in their get-up-and-go, and a late rally never materialized.
The loss came despite a strong offensive effort in the first half from Coupeville.
Playing their second-straight home game at Mickey Clark Field, the Wolves broke through first when Angel Partida bashed home a goal less than four minutes into play.
Netting his team-best third score of the season, he gave CHS an advantage which it didn’t hold for long.
Amid much confusion, Friday Harbor broke the plane of the goal (or did it?) to knot the game at 1-1, though it took the ref an eternity to signal the score as actually having happened.
The other five goals in the first half were far more convincing, starting with Wolf senior Preston Epp pulling off a sweet move after the opposing goalie tried, and failed, to clear the ball out in front of his net.
Instead of snatching the bouncing orb up, the Friday Harbor netminder poked at it with his leg but sent it right to Epp by accident.
Not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth, the Wolf sharpshooter promptly spanked the ball into the back of the net for his first goal of the year, and eighth of his prep career.
Unfortunately for Coupeville, their foes then gave a preview of their lightning-fast ability to score, banking in three scores in a span of four minutes to reclaim the lead.
Trailing 4-2, the Wolves scored right before the end of the half, beating the clock and the odds when a long, booming shot by Cael Wilson took an advantageous bounce and nicked off of a defender.
Cael Wilson surveys the defense. (Finn Price photo)
Whether he knew it or not at the moment, Wilson, a current senior who has been a varsity player since 8th grade, became the first player in CHS soccer history to score in five separate seasons.
Known for his scrappy defense, he has also tallied seven goals, giving his family 20, when you add in the 13 scored by now-graduated older brother Aidan.
A third brother, freshman Edmund Wilson, also saw some varsity field time, then came back around to anchor the Wolf JV as they played a 30-minute “friendly” in their season debut as a team.
“It was really great to see the JV game,” Robert Wood said.
“The kids did well; many learning points, and honestly, they did really, really good for that being the first time they saw a live opponent.”
His fellow Wolf coach, Kimberly Kisch, agreed.
“Good to see some of the kids who aren’t especially experienced get out there and begin to put things together,” she said.
Brynn Parker and Josh Lujan, both returning from injury, drew praise for their play while 8th grader Brian Thompson set up Frankie Tenore, who drilled in a buzzer-beating goal on her final run of the day.
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